Found a heroin addict strung out in a McDonalds toilet.

Pace2008

partyatmygaff wrote: »

But regular users will eventually develop a dependency on the drug. People who take heroin very occasionally may not develop an addiction.

This goes without saying. Frequency of use is a significant factor in the likelihood of developing a dependency.

Besides that there are many other statistics that do have the majority of heroin users as being addicts
"57.4 percent of past year heroin users were classified with dependence on or abuse of heroin, and an estimated 281,000 persons received treatment for heroin abuse."
http://my.clevelandclinic.org/disorders/heroin_addiction/hic_heroin_abuse_and_addiction.aspx

Aye, as I've suggested in my post above, I'd say rate of dependence varies from location to location. I would maintain that this depends on the demographics that use the drug.

partyatmygaff

Pace2008 wrote: »

This goes without saying. Frequency of use is a significant factor in the likelihood of developing a dependency.

Aye, as I've suggested in my post above, I'd say rate of dependence varies from location to location. I would maintain that this depends on the demographics that use the drug.

So I wasn't really spreading misinformation, was I?

In Ireland at least it appears to be that most heroin users are addicts.

Dudess

Degsy wrote: »

Yes,Boo friggin Hoo,the poor junkie:rolleyes:

Anyone who isn't moved by a pitiful sight like that must be pretty heartless Degz. I mean, the impression I get is that you grew up in a community blighted by heroin, so I understand your anger towards junkies in one respect, but I don't understand how you're so black and white about them all. Surely you acknowledge many are good people who took a stupid and irresponsible path but are now paying dearly?

longhalloween

Saw a woman light up a crack pipe in Burger King once.

Her kids were tucking into their burgers right beside her.

Pace2008

partyatmygaff wrote: »

So I wasn't really spreading misinformation, was I?

In Ireland at least it appears to be that most heroin users are addicts.

I go by stats and i don't have the stats to confirm or deny this. FWIW I wouldn't have had enough issue with this assertion to reply to it.

I'm not sure if you've noticed yourself move the goalposts, but this was the original comment:

There's no such thing as occasional with Heroin.

It's a terrible drug that has ruined the lives of thousands of people. Spouting rubbish like that could lead to easily impressionable people getting hooked on Heroin.

This moved on to the "vast majority" of users being addicts, and now we've reached a more balanced standpoint.

I'm all about balance, so I'm happy out.

Pace2008

longhalloween wrote: »

Saw a woman light up a crack pipe in Burger King once.

Her kids were tucking into their burgers right beside her.

Did they even offer her a bite???

partyatmygaff

Pace2008 wrote: »

I'm not sure if you've noticed yourself move the goalposts, but this was the original comment:

This moved on to the "vast majority" of users being addicts, and now we've reached a more balanced standpoint.

I'm all about balance, so I'm happy out.

How have I moved the goalposts? This is an Irish forum and I was speaking of heroin use in Ireland. My last comment was "In Ireland at least it appears to be that most heroin users are addicts.". This continues on from what I said earlier. The majority of Irish heroin users appear to be addicts.

Spunge

Luckily, the amount of heroin I use is harmless, I inject about once a month on a purely recreational basis. Fine. But what about other people less stable, less educated, less middle-class than me? Builders or blacks for example. If you're one of those, my advice is leave well alone. Good luck.

Yakult

Was this him?

Pace2008

partyatmygaff wrote: »

How have I moved the goalposts? This is an Irish forum and I was speaking of heroin use in Ireland. My last comment was "In Ireland at least it appears to be that most heroin users are addicts.". This continues on from what I said earlier.

Because the statements "there's no such thing as occasional heroin use" and "In Ireland at least it appears to be that most heroin users are addicts" are patently not the same thing?

The majority of Irish heroin users appear to be addicts.

I would not find it particularly surprising, but how would you ascertain this without the relevant statistics?

Certainly, a walk around Dublin would confirm that there are plenty of people completely beholden to the drug. But what if there were many once-off or occasional users who haven't lost everything as a result of dependence? Surely they'd just look like regular people, so how could personal observation alone confirm your assertion?

brenn7475

Hi all

Didnt really think this thread would attract so much attension.

Its everywhere in society. What can you do really.

Im major pot head...so suppose I can say I have some sort of addiction.

But I dont judge this guy really. Chances are it will get him in the end.

Either by overdose or a burnout.

Here is an interesting doc I watched a few months ago. Maybe you can decide from this

http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/ben-diary-heroin-addict/

brenn7475

If any one has the time to watch it would be great to hear you views....many people seem to have written to guy off when I posted the thread first. I rent a room to a Garda who work in the busiest station in Dublin. He could tell you a few stories about what he has to deal with.
But he also said that they are human beings and regardless of what state they are in he tries to focus on that.
He was the one who said to me that a lot of these addicts come from pretty good backrounds. He was surprised that it happened in Nutgrove .They end up in these areas of the city as the is a ready supply. I live in a middle class estate where there is a methodone clinic. The doctor runs the surgery from his home. I see them early morning. Some of them look pretty well to do.

Killer Pigeon

I had a Happy Meal in McDonalds the other day.

Are you sure the guy you found hadn't just eaten a Big Mac????....

starviewadams

Good documentary,pretty sad too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Yt4Mmn7ofI

brenn7475

starviewadams wrote: »

Good documentary,pretty sad too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Yt4Mmn7ofI

Will give that one a watch thanks man

TeddyTedson

I live near Nutgrove and its a nice area, i hope people dont think its a kip after reading this.

Nothingbetter2d

so he had a heroin flavored McFlurry then?

old_aussie

super_furry wrote: »

I was in McDonalds on Grafton Street a couple of weeks back and there was a syringe just sitting on top of on the toilets in a cubicle. I went outside and tried to explain to one of the guys working there but he didn't understand, asked to speak to the manager and he shows up after about five minutes, really pissed looking. Told him there was a syringe in the toilets and he shrugged his shoulders, said he'd 'sort it' and walked off. Didn't seem bothered at all, so I'd imagine it's a regular thing.

It's there for the kids to play with. Mummy, look what i found.

ebixa82

We should have a more modern approach to drug addiction in this country. Everybody knows that prohibition doesn't work. Only 10% of drugs that get into the country are caught by the cops.
Heroin has dropped from 20€ a bag to 12€ a bag nowadays. May explain while 0.7% of the population are currently using the drug.

Addicts should be treated as patients with an illness (which is what addiction is) instead of criminals.

If there was designAted buildings where junkies could inject freely, in a safe environment with clean needles then the public would not have to witness them shooting up in public restaurants and down street alleys.

Pace2008

Pace2008 wrote: »

Complete urban myth as well, for that matter.

Is it f***, maybe on the internet it is

sbsquarepants

TeddyTedson wrote: »

I live near Nutgrove and its a nice area, i hope people dont think its a kip after reading this.

I didn't anyway.
I thought nutgrove was a kip long before reading this!

Pace2008

RoverJames wrote: »

Is it f***, maybe on the internet it is

And yet I can't find any solid information confirming the existence of this deadly polydrug, just dubious anecdotes that are quickly shot down and derided.

You don't just lob a wrap of gear into a spliff and spark up. Any junkie will tell you a degree of caution is needed when smoking heroin - any contact between the drug and a high flame and it will just degrade. Hence the reason you'll often see burnt tinfoil discarded in a junkie's trail, but never a pile of roaches from their preferred form of wake-and-bake.

I'm sure it's possible that somehow, somewhere, weed could come into contact with heroin and hence retain some residue of the drug, but the chances of it making it into the hands a typical drug user would be vanishingly small, and the likelihood of them getting addicted to it through sustained use even less so.

knird evol

Apparently there is a higher chance of overdose/death for a junkie if they shoot up in an unfamiliar place. Everyday the act of just going to their usual shooting gallery causes their body to autonomically prepare for the intake of the drug by releasing various enzymes and chemicals. Using the drug somewhere different - the same amount will have a different effect.

Dan I Am

Deleted User wrote: »

How far gone must you be to think that injecting yourself in the testicle is a good idea?

Junkies definitely do not inject in their testicles (or their penis for that matter). Many long term hardcore junkies do inject in their femoral veins at the top of their legs next to their groin though. The poor quality and impurities in illegal heroin, together with bad injecting practices, will damage all the easier to find and closer to the surface veins in their bodies. However, if they are careful (and lucky), they may be able to use their femoral veins for years, due to the relatively much bigger size. They will be running the risk of an infection (through bad hygiene practices while injecting) in a very difficult to treat area though, which may result in the loss of a leg or death. There is also an increased risk of dvt (blood clots) when using the femoral vein.

There seem to be some very strong opinions in this thread, considering the fact that the knowledge displayed doesn't stretch beyond the occasional sighting of a 'tip of the iceberg' hopeless homeless junky, and the usual myths and misinformation spread by equally clueless reporters in the media. You don't want your present or future kids to be hearing nonsense like 'all junkies are animals' or 'all heroin users are addicts' or 'try it once and you will be addicted'. If they happen to come across friends or acquaintances in their lives who smoke/snort heroin occasionally (for example, at the end of 'party' weekends) with no apparent problems at all, what conclusions are they likely to draw about your advice? It's much better to arm them (and yourselves) with the truth.

orourkeda

brenn7475 wrote: »

Popped into McDonalds at Nutgrove shopping centre yesterday evening.
Was around 7.30pm
There were one or two people at the counter so I decided I pay a quick visit to the jacks and wash my hands before eating. So there I was washing my hands when from behind I could hear a sort of gurgling sound and short breaths. Some of the McDonalds cubicle toilet doors only cover half the door. From underneath I could see a guy in the fetal position in only his boxer shorts. It sounded like he was crying at first. The door was locked. I was freaking out thinking this guy had cut his wrists or something. I opened the door from the outside with my car key to open the latch. He was lying there blue in the face and from what I gather he had injected into his testicle. Syringe on the ground with small drops of blood. Grabbed the manager quicky and they phoned an ambulance. It was freaky and the place was packed with kids.. The services arrived very quicky and were in there with him for about 10 mins or so he walked out to the ambulance.
just thought Id post one of those things you dont deal with often.

Why didnt you just let him die?

ebixa82

Dan I Am wrote: »

Junkies definitely do not inject in their testicles (or their penis for that matter). Many long term hardcore junkies do inject in their femoral veins at the top of their legs next to their groin though. The poor quality and impurities in illegal heroin, together with bad injecting practices, will damage all the easier to find and closer to the surface veins in their bodies. However, if they are careful (and lucky), they may be able to use their femoral veins for years, due to the relatively much bigger size. They will be running the risk of an infection (through bad hygiene practices while injecting) in a very difficult to treat area though, which may result in the loss of a leg or death. There is also an increased risk of dvt (blood clots) when using the femoral vein.

There seem to be some very strong opinions in this thread, considering the fact that the knowledge displayed doesn't stretch beyond the occasional sighting of a 'tip of the iceberg' hopeless homeless junky, and the usual myths and misinformation spread by equally clueless reporters in the media. You don't want your present or future kids to be hearing nonsense like 'all junkies are animals' or 'all heroin users are addicts' or 'try it once and you will be addicted'. If they happen to come across friends or acquaintances in their lives who smoke/snort heroin occasionally (for example, at the end of 'party' weekends) with no apparent problems at all, what conclusions are they likely to draw about your advice? It's much better to arm them (and yourselves) with the truth.

Unfortunately that's what 80% of views and opinions in AH are based on....misinformation, speculation, rumour, gossip and ignorance..

orourkeda

ebixa82 wrote: »

Unfortunately that's what 80% of views and opinions in AH are based on....misinformation, speculation, rumour, gossip and ignorance..

Durka Dur

ebixa82

orourkeda wrote: »

Durka Dur

I forgot to include unoriginal, overused south park/team america impressions...

patrickc

ebixa82 wrote: »

Heroin has dropped from 20€ a bag to 12€ a bag nowadays.


If there was designAted buildings where junkies could inject freely, in a safe environment with clean needles then the public would not have to witness them shooting up in public restaurants and down street alleys.

it's actually 35 a bag..

+1 one on the shooting galleries, would be great to see.

RichieC

Luckily, the amount of heroin I use is harmless. I inject about once a month on a purely recreational basis. Fine. But what about other people less stable, less educated, less middle-class than me? Builders or blacks for example. If you're one of those, my advice to you is leave well alone. Good luck.

starviewadams

patrickc wrote: »

it's actually 35 a bag..

+1 one on the shooting galleries, would be great to see.

Yeah,but what would the hysterical ''think of the children'' brigade have to say about safe injecting clinics? I can just picture ''concerned residents'' picketing outside such a place of ill repute!

Johro

brenn7475 wrote: »

Popped into McDonalds at Nutgrove shopping centre yesterday evening.
Was around 7.30pm
There were one or two people at the counter so I decided I pay a quick visit to the jacks and wash my hands before eating.

It's McDonalds. Wash hands after eating.

aido 1976

Mrs Aido, works helping these people and it is no longer correct to refere to them as junkies but to refere to them as being affected

No Joke

Ghetto Cornetto

ebixa82 wrote: »

Dear God the amount of shi.te being preached here is ridiculous..

Heroin is a great drug, not everyone who uses is a scumbag junkie...You would be surprised how many people have successful careers and are partial to the occassional chase of the dragon..

You are an absolute CABBAGE if you genuinely believe this. Fúcking hell...

partyatmygaff

aido 1976 wrote: »

Mrs Aido, works helping these people and it is no longer correct to refere to them as junkies but to refere to them as being affected

No Joke

So people now must say there are a lot of "affected" people walking around Dublin these days?


You don't need to personally take Heroin to be affected by it. Political correctness gone mad again.

old hippy

TeddyTedson wrote: »

I live near Nutgrove and its a nice area, i hope people dont think its a kip after reading this.

Drugs permeate all levels of society; even "nice" areas.

miss_shadow

Not many kids grow up thinking 'im going to be a heroin addict one day'.

This man is someone's son, grandson , possibly father, nephew and godforbid i'd hate to see any of my relatives end up that way.

My first encounter with a heroin addict was when I was doing a bit of reception work in a B&B, was the only person to mind the place in the evenings.
So in walks this woman and man, I treat them like any other guest and take them to their room.
A few hours later I go up and knock and ask if they could pay the secuirty deposit and saw yerwan on the bed growning and really freaky looking as she didn't seem to move or respond and the man was doing something to his arm. I ran downstairs petrified they'd kill me or something..
and they smelt really bad.

wellboy76

The heroin is better in Supermacs

Jane Eyre

TeddyTedson wrote: »

I live near Nutgrove and its a nice area, i hope people dont think its a kip after reading this.

What?!!! Are you kidding? Nutgrove is FULL of scangers, and it's filthy with rubbish permanently blowing round the place. It IS a kip.

AnonoBoy

ebixa82 wrote: »

Dear God the amount of shi.te being preached here is ridiculous..

Heroin is a great drug, not everyone who uses is a scumbag junkie...You would be surprised how many people have successful careers and are partial to the occassional chase of the dragon..

It does give you a bit of a jippy tummy though.

gubernaculum

not really the place for serious post but my worst day working in the city centre was when some couple left their 3 year old standing outside the alley near where i used to work, which was used constantly as a shooting gallery, and headed off for a fix pushing an even younger kid in a pram. i was coming back with coffee when i saw this and ended up watching her 'cause the poor kid was completely terrified. she kept peering into the dark, stinking alley and jumping away from passersby, who largely ignored the fact an obviously distressed toddler was standing in a filthy tracksuit on her own on a busy street. there was nothing i could do except smile at her and try to be friendly from a relative distance. it clearly wasn't the first time this had happened and in a messed up way, i suppose they may have figured they were doing her a favour by not bringing her down the alley 'cause it was always crammed with junkies and people fighting. it was unbelievably sad. i'd never feel like this under normal circumstances but for those few minutes every bone in my body just wanted to grab her and take her away from that. obviously you can't. after fifteen minutes or so of watching her the parents emerged and that was it. couldn't even find the words to say anything to them and they weren't really in a state to listen anyway. said it to guard who was picking up a shoplifter while this was going on and she was sympathetic but said there wasn't much they could do bar go down the alley and get the parents. i know there's lots of sad stories and lots of crap childhoods but that kid seriously still haunts me. don't even feel angry towards the parents. got to know some of the local junkies and most of them were grand, though in various states of denial about the extent of their habit. wish there was some grand solution but there's not. it's a horrible drug.

Daegerty

miss_shadow wrote: »

Not many kids grow up thinking 'im going to be a heroin addict one day'.

This man is someone's son, grandson , possibly father, nephew and godforbid i'd hate to see any of my relatives end up that way.

My first encounter with a heroin addict was when I was doing a bit of reception work in a B&B, was the only person to mind the place in the evenings.
So in walks this woman and man, I treat them like any other guest and take them to their room.
A few hours later I go up and knock and ask if they could pay the secuirty deposit and saw yerwan on the bed growning and really freaky looking as she didn't seem to move or respond and the man was doing something to his arm. I ran downstairs petrified they'd kill me or something..
and they smelt really bad.

seen it happening meself and the guy was groaning thought he was getting a bj until I got the smell and saw them messing with tinfiol.

eternal

I think its really bad that anyone could be lowered to inject themselves into their genitalia and collapse in a fast food restaurant.Its terrible and sad that someones whole life could be reduced to a post on a forum and everyone laughing at them.This man is a person and just made very bad choices.And what lunatics are coming on here saying heroin is a fine drug ,just use it wisely? This guy in the jacks was probobly saying the same thing a while back.Anything that can control and override your whole being to reduce you to nothing is not a good drug.
And oh ,I only inject sometimes.Youre filling your blood with poision.

uch

Lost four friends ( one my best mate ) to this shíte, I was lucky, my best mate was found in the jax in burger king brain dead from the sh1te, not something to be laughed at, is there anybody that hasn't been affected in some way by this scourge?

partyatmygaff

eternal wrote: »

Youre filling your blood with poision.

The problem in Ireland is people will fill their blood with a certain poison called C2H5OH every week without batting an eyelid. If you ask people if they know that Ethanol is toxic they ask "What's Ethanol?".

People are completely uneducated when it comes to drugs and their toxicity. If people were all taught the full effects of these drugs then they wouldn't be so willing to try them. The most commonly abused drug by far in Ireland is alcohol. No doubt about it. Cigarettes and Nicotine would be second to that. Cigarettes however have a certain stigma attached to them nowadays that makes it less and less attractive for people to smoke let alone start smoking. This stigma came about by people being educated about the direct effects of smoking. Being shown a picture of a smoker's lung compared to a healthy lung puts off many people from the idea of smoking. The same can't be said for Alcohol let alone hard drugs like Heroin.

nomh

partyatmygaff wrote: »

The problem in Ireland is people will fill their blood with a certain poison called C2H5OH every week without batting an eyelid. If you ask people if they know that Ethanol is toxic they ask "What's Ethanol?".

People are completely uneducated when it comes to drugs and their toxicity. If people were all taught the full effects of these drugs then they wouldn't be so willing to try them. The most commonly abused drug by far in Ireland is alcohol. No doubt about it. Cigarettes and Nicotine would be second to that. Cigarettes however have a certain stigma attached to them nowadays that makes it less and less attractive for people to smoke let alone start smoking. This stigma came about by people being educated about the direct effects of smoking. Being shown a picture of a smoker's lung compared to a healthy lung puts off many people from the idea of smoking. The same can't be said for Alcohol let alone hard drugs like Heroin.

I've never been deterred by the health warnings that come with my crack and heroin

partyatmygaff

nomh wrote: »

Let's start a petition to get crack and heroin to come with a warning label

You plainly misunderstood my post.

Warning labels on cigarette boxes and the like are useful but that is not what i'm getting at. If you're buying a box of cigarettes chances are you're a smoker or someone starting to smoke. I'm talking about education as in education in the formal education system.

nomh

partyatmygaff wrote: »

You plainly misunderstood my post.

Warning labels on cigarette boxes and the like are useful but that is not what i'm getting at. If you're buying a box of cigarettes chances are you're a smoker or someone starting to smoke. I'm talking about education as in education in the formal education system.

There are actually a number of programmes that go around to school and give talks, at least in my experience. I remember attending at least 2 in primary school and a few in secondary school. I knew all the health risks of taking drugs before I ever started. I doubt people aren't aware it's killing them but maybe I'd be surprised.

partyatmygaff

nomh wrote: »

There are actually a number of programmes that go around to school and give talks, at least in my experience. I remember attending at least 2 in primary school and a few in secondary school. I knew all the health risks of taking drugs before I ever started. I doubt people aren't aware it's killing them but maybe I'd be surprised.

It's more along the lines of "Drugs are bad" in a general sense. They only specify actual negative health effects for cigarettes and alcohol and less so for alcohol than cigarettes.