― William S. Burroughs
In The Beginning…
Opiates and the addiction to opiates has been around for a long, long time… Going as far back as 4000 B.C., the Sumerians referred to the poppy plant as "plants of joy" and was used to produce a euphoria, as pain reliever, sleep aide.., and even to treat diarrhea. The combination of chemicals found in the juice of the poppy plant are related to morphine. And when it was discovered that opium was more soluble in alcohol than water, it was mixed with brandy or wine creating laudanum -- a morphine tonic..
This tincture of made from opiates known as laudanum was so popular in Britain it was used freely for many, many medicinal reasons, anything from a simple cough or even hiccups.., and when mixed with water it was even give to babies to stop them from crying.., resulting in serious illness and death of some of these children.
It was also sold just about anywhere… From pharmacies, grocery stores and even the local barbershop. Basically, it was considered a "cure all" and consumed by such well known figures as Charles Dickens, Bram Stoker and Elizabeth Barrett Browning, mostly s a "pain reliever." Consumed by all levels of society, women were also a target for advertisements boasting the many aliments it could be used for.., and was even known as the "Women's Friends" treating menstruation, problems with childbirth and even trendy ailments such as the "vapors."
“I have absolutely no pleasure in the stimulants in which I sometimes so madly indulge. It has not been in the pursuit of pleasure that I have periled life and reputation and reason. It has been the desperate attempt to escape from torturing memories, from a sense of insupportable loneliness and a dread of some strange impending doom.” ― Edgar Allan Poe
As many of the poor of the time used these opium tinctures as their only means of a medial treatment, due to it's access and low cost.., many of the upper class used it as a habit… And like many other substances it was widely used by literary giants through out history, starting with such greats as Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Thomas De Quincey, thus romanticizing it's use as a writing tool.., a way to heighten expression and provide a transcendent experience. Not only was opium for the sick, it was now a gateway to adventure and experimentation.
This romantic notion of the use of opiates would be a trap so many of our storied literary hero's would fall prey too, throughout time… Such writers as William S. Burroughs, Aldous Huxley and of course, Jim Carroll's famous decent into opiate addiction as depicted in his widely read book "The Basketball Diaries" (If you've only seen the movie I suggest you read the book). Mr. Carroll was so addicted to opiates (heroin) that he would often turn tricks in NYC's Grand Central Station just to get a fix.., allowing seemingly straight, middle class men to perform oral sex on him in the restroom (not very romantic).
"You don’t decide to be an addict.
One morning you wake up sick and you’re an addict."
-- William S. Burroughs
One morning you wake up sick and you’re an addict."
-- William S. Burroughs
Generations of such greats turned to opiates for creative inspiration.., as heroin supplied them an escape from reality… Being able to remove themselves from the norms of society, while spending long periods of time locked away writing… Besides all the romantic ideas that floated around in their imagination of famous authors of the past that indulged and used opiates, it was a way to deal with anxiety of putting your writing on display.., while still being vulnerable enough to produce the goods.
Present Day Abuse
Today the opiate epidemic is rampant -- ravaging whole societies and destroying families. And although a different experience from those writers of the past, it's effects are just as damning, if not more… While many from the past used opium as a tincture for medical purposes, or as a pathway to euphoria.., today it is just an addictive drug, where many of it's younger users are getting their first taste of it from there parents medicine cabinet.
It has taken a different form from the past.., and now comes in the form of pills, anything from vicodin to oxycontin -- also referred to as "Hillbilly Heroin" due to it's wide use in Appalachian communities and the like… And while many originally believe they don't have a problem because they are getting their pills from a licensed pharmacist, with a prescription from the doctor.., it isn't long before that prescription runs out and they are left to get their fix from the streets, if they can afford it.
Many though have no other alternative but to turn to the much cheaper.., resulting in, going from high grade opiates from the medical profession, to a much cheaper and even more dangerous form of opiate on the street -- heroin. From Ohio to New Hampshire people are dying from heroin like never before -- from 2010 to present day the number of deaths related to heroin has more than doubled and tripled in the last 20… In the Midwest 45 people out of every 1000 die due to heroin!
“In this country, don’t forget, a habit is no damn private hell. There’s no solitary confinement outside of jail. A habit is hell for those you love. And in this country it’s the worst kind of hell for those who love you.”
― Billie Holiday
― Billie Holiday
The romantic notion of opiates has been replaced by ever increasing crime and death… And for many of it's victims, they never saw it coming… From going to the doctor for back pain or some other ailment, to buying drugs off the street for as much as $80 a pill.., at such prices it's not hard to see why crime has gone hand and hand with opiate addiction. And while our government lays all the blame on Mexican drug cartels, our own medical profession doles out over 300 million pain prescriptions a year, while the pharmaceutical industry rakes in $24 billion.
4 out of 5 addicts have started their path down this road at their own doctors office.., with one of these 300 million prescriptions. Described as a disease and given lip-service by the people in charge -- opiate addiction is much more than just a disease… It takes hold of your very soul.., and slowly rips it from your being. It destroys anything good in your life and the life of your loved ones, who also suffer as they sit by and watch your decent.., while the government sits by and lets it's wealthy donors (pharmaceutical companies) profit off the lives of our loved ones (welcome to America).
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