Skip to main content

"No Thanks I am Good"





I would like you to meet Harlan. Harlan was a 31-year-old man and had no history of using street drugs. If he were offered drugs he would say, "No thanks I am good". One night he and two of his friends thought they would experiment and decided to try ecstasy.  Sadly, the ecstasy was laced with fentanyl. The paramedics were able to revive Harlan's friends with Narcan, but Harlan didn't respond. A heartbeat was restored but his brain had been without oxygen for over 30 mins. For the next three days, Harlan was supported to live. The decision was then made to discontinue his life support and Harlan's life will live on as an organ donor. That decision to experiment caused Harlan's death. 

During the three days that Harlan was in the hospital, his dad, Joseph took to the media to speak out about drugs being laced with opioids and the dangers of that.  

I am not sure why this story is of such interest to me, other than my heart went out to this dad. He is using his grief for a cause. He can't bring his son back, but maybe he can spare others from suffering the loss that he has had to endure.  

Since Harlan's death, his dad has been passionate and well-spoken about his son getting drugs that were laced with fentanyl. He is using the media as a platform to get "Harlan's Law" passed in legislation. This law will make the person criminally liable if they give someone drugs causing them to overdose. His Dad believes that overdose deaths are being swept under the rug. Joseph wants tougher sentencing for people that are dealing, and he would like to see the province go in the direction of mandatory treatment plans for people who suffer from addiction and are not able to make decisions for themselves. Joseph did not take his son off the hook. He acknowledged that he made a bad choice that night, but he didn't choose to get a lethal drug. 

I feel Harlan's Dad is on to something. Drug dealers or those that provide drugs, need to be more accountable. There seems to be little accountability in life anymore. I can't imagine the job of trying to be in Law enforcement and manage the drug world. If there is no supply, the demand would be less. Seems very simple to write. I feel that lacing of drugs with more powerful drugs is not to cause an overdose, it is to get that person addicted. I agree with Harlan's Dad let's make people more accountable. 

I have to admit my knowledge is very limited it the worldwide use of drugs. What makes sense to me is that there seems to be a pyramid of drug use.  The one most familiar is the user, which for me is on the bottom.  Then there is the next level or what I want to refer to as the drug dealer.  Above the dealer is the supplier.  At the very top is the person that makes the drug. 

I just wrote a blog on something I know very little about, street drugs. The one thing I do know is that there is a huge drug problem, everywhere. If we all banded together, could we help in some way?  Harlan's Dad has given people a line to use, "No thanks, I am good", I hope that young adults are empowered to use it. 

                                      






Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Read the Room

There are three settings in which reading the room is required: social gatherings, business meetings and public speaking engagements.  We have all been in a room listening to the same person talk, often about themselves, oblivious to the fact that they are dominating the conversation. We have also been in conversations about a topic that only the person speaking understands what they are talking about. When a conversation is started and it doesn't include everyone, or everyone is not contributing it is time to read the room.    It seems to happen naturally when genders separate and have their own conversations. Historically, it was men in the living room, women in the kitchen. I have found that I love the conversations that result when both genders are sitting together just talking. I know the way I think will be challenged more, and the topics are more diverse. Being included or including everyone in a conversation is not as easy as it sounds. The line I like to use for those that
2 comments
Read more

Redheads

One evening, while doing my channel surfing, I landed on Shark Tank. There were two young entrepreneurs requesting money for their business. They were sisters, with beautiful red hair and pale skin.  They had developed a product line for just redheads and were of course requesting financial support.  I had never given it any thought that the colors of make-up products didn't work for redheads. The sisters were also promoted the uniqueness of being a redhead through their podcasts and other social media sites. It was one of their comments that has sparked this post. Apparently, it is estimated that only 2% of the world's population has naturally red hair. As you would assume, one google search led to another and there are some really fascinating facts about having red hair that I wanted to share.   1. Globally about 140 million people have naturally red hair.  2. Redheads produce Vitamin D more efficiently in less sunlight, making their bones stronger.  3. Red hair is a genetic
4 comments
Read more

Mentally Tough

When I was writing the "Unstoppable" blog, I got caught up on what it means to be tough; as a woman. In that blog I said I was life tough, I now realize that is better described as mentally tough or mentally strong. If you describe yourself as a tough woman in any sort, from any experience, be proud of it. Becoming mentally strong takes some time, and sadly is often caused by life experiences. But, once you are there, you handle situations in a similar manner every time. Mentally strong women come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Their personality doesn't have to be aggressive, just a strong female in her own right.    In  Jordin Tootoo's book he wrote that his brother was mentally tough. His brother would often say that it is all about mind over matter. Since our minds are one of the most powerful things we own, we must really use it to make sense of our lives.  I have heard this said before and I believe it, "we all fight a fight no one knows about". Ther
2 comments
Read more