Wednesday, August 10, 2016

A Monster-Drug

By: Mary Kiser



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Forget what you think you know about heroin. It's not the rumpled wrapper at the bottom of a McDonald's trash can; it's not apoplectic abscesses that speckle a junkie's arms; it's not the mugshots of men and women who are mothers, fathers, husbands, and wives. It's a drug. It inveigles the mind through seraphic seduction.

Gia Marie Carangi, the model of the 70’s and 80’s, was known for glamour shots, catwalks, and fittings; her legacy was the yellow-brick road every aspirant model desired. However, her life outside magazine covers and travel painted a more opaque picture. Heroin wasn't just her hobby; it was the passion that extinguished any flame, any problem, and any future.

It was never a "dirty" drug only obtained and used by vagabonds, the poor, or the homeless. This narcotic still thrives where people live, and it feeds off the souls of the living. Addicts can't receive assistance from broken prison systems or absent families and friends. In order to defeat heroin, you can't lock him away or ignore him. You have to understand his beginning.

The pain reliever travelled from China to America in the late 1800's. Chinese immigrants would work on the railroads, and instead of drink, they would smoke the substance during their rest periods. This monster was even presented as a cure for alcoholism! And even though liquor was more problematic than opium, heroin is now the big fish in our small pond of our planet.

Heroin presents an inviting appearance, but the high is ephemeral, and the damage to both the brain and body can be significant. Before you enjoy the play, know the price of the performance.
If you or someone you love is in the claws of heroin or other opioid addiction, you can privately call 888-986-7196 or visit the American Addiction Centers website for free.

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