General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsI was just wondering. Doesn't Turkey produce a lot of heroin? And isn't heroin a component
of all the opioids that the multibillion dollar pharmaceutical companies have been selling to America?
And then there's Bolton saying he don't want to be a part of this "drug deal".
Hmmmm.
alittlelark
(18,890 posts)I thought that the first time I heard Boltons statement
Hekate
(90,681 posts)Christ in a trailer hitch.
Solomon
(12,310 posts)Then it occurred to me. It might not be a metaphor.
leftstreet
(36,108 posts)Link to tweet
?s=2
Kali
(55,008 posts)I think Afganistan is the major producer now.
Solomon
(12,310 posts)jmowreader
(50,557 posts)Not all opioids contain morphine (the first refinement step from opium) but many do.
And yes, Turkey is a major producer of opium.
Voltaire2
(13,027 posts)Oxycodone is a synthetic opioid, it has nothing to do with heroin or opium production in Turkey.
Major Nikon
(36,827 posts)Oxycodone is synthesized from an alkaloid which comes from the opioid poppy. It is semi-synthetic unlike fully synthetic opioids like fentanyl and methadone.
Voltaire2
(13,027 posts)Whacko conspiracy theories belong on 4chan or 8chan or wherever it is that the permanently deluded hang out.
Major Nikon
(36,827 posts)The so-called "opioid" crisis is somewhat misleading to many, which leads to very bad public policy. The problem is with fully synthetic opioids which are similar to fentanyl, but produced on the illicit market. These drugs can be relatively easily produced from readily obtainable chemicals from China and other countries and because they are so potent can be much more easily distributed since a very small quantity produces many more individual doses.
Opium has been around for thousands of years. Heroin has been around for a couple of hundred. These drugs were never the problem we have today because they are extremely difficult to overdose on. The cases where this has happened are almost always inevitably due to drug mixing.
I wouldn't go as far to say those things are not related. One of the problems is people become addicted to commercial opioids and turn to the illicit market when the legitimate market turns them away due to bad public policy. I've always said all commercially available drugs should be accessible even for recreational purposes. Some of the more dangerous ones like opioids should still be prescription only, but it's much preferable to have an addict under a doctor's care vs getting these things on the street. Synthetic drugs are here to stay, and our drug policy is still the one that never worked with natural drugs. With synthetic drugs it's an absolute disaster that's just going to continue to get worse.
UniteFightBack
(8,231 posts)Solomon
(12,310 posts)One thing is for sure. The legal opium market in the U.S. is under attack. And rightfully so.
As I said, I was just wondering what he could have possibly meant by using the term "drug deal".
UniteFightBack
(8,231 posts)Solomon
(12,310 posts)Initially. But he could have said "seedy" or "unseemly" but he said drug deal. I think he was trying to tell us the deal was illegal. But then again, He could have said that too.
I'll put my tinfoil back on my shelf. There'll be something else soon to put it back on for. Shit is happening fast now.
bobbieinok
(12,858 posts)Read there's a Twitter thread from yesterday? on the subject
Thread was exploring Bolton saying he didn't want any part of drug stuff going down
Dr Hobbitstein
(6,568 posts)Solomon
(12,310 posts)No heroin necessary.
LeftInTX
(25,316 posts)Codeine is rarely sold without being mixed with another medication, such as tylenol or cough medication.
Oxycontin does not contain opium. Neither does fentanyl. Also hydrocodone (synthetic codeine) does not contain opium.
My hunch is we get most of our heroin from the Western Hemisphere. Opium is super easy to grow and will grow just about anywhere. You can purchase the seed in small amount legally here in the US.
https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/ondcp/global-heroin-market
Where opium grows in the US:
500 opium poppy seeds for $5.99 on Amazon
https://amzn.to/35HJ1JO
LeftInTX
(25,316 posts)Opium products are old, cheap and generic.
Oxycontin (synthetic) is very profitable because it is sustained release.