No question the Sackler saga is one of the most hideous tales and I readily acknowledge I am conflating the traditional opium demand with opiate demand, if there is a difference. We have waged wars, at least in theory, against this scourge but the demand seems to shift to another substance on those occasions we make headway. I just don’t see how we deal with it, particularly when you throw in The legal but pervasive alcohol addiction problem. Besides making the Sacklers pay a great deal more than the settlement I read about, how do we address the issue?
I'll not rant about my feelings on the drug issue as well as the mental health issues that seem to be rampant in our country. And I'll show my non-fully-educated (probably non-empathetic) side by admitting I don't really understand why criminal activity conducted by a person with mental health issues seems to get a "pass" with no accountability. I was watching a show last night with Right and Left perspectives on the Hunter Biden issue. The Right continued to hammer home his drug addiction issue which presumably led to a lot of bad decisions...some potentially criminal. The Left just hung their hat on: "...but he's an addict..." Does that excuse all his actions?
Enough of that and on to the reason why your post caused me to spit hot tea out of my mouth when reading it (the car dilemma). I have a good friend who is a retired Air Force Colonel. He was a pilot in the Air Force and loved all things mechanical...rode motorcycles...tinkered with cars... etc. His son left home and went to a university somewhere in New York State...not sure where but like your daughter, he didn't see the need for a car. He could get where he wanted to go on foot, bicycle or public transit. Rich (my friend) was perplexed as to why Ben didn't even want to get a driver's license (more on that later). The first three years went by and then the call came in. Ben called his dad and said: "I've been thinking about it and I've decided I want to get a car." Rich was over-the-moon! He dreamed of this day and started asking Ben what he was considering...hoping it would be Mustang, Challenger, something "cool." Ben told him he'd think about it. A couple of days went by and Ben called his dad and said: "I thought about it Dad." "Yes Son... what do you think you want?" Ben said: "I think I want a blue one....." Rich was speechless... and crushed. All those years of dreaming of his son in some kind of performance car where make / model / specifications make the difference... Ben just wanted something that ran... preferably in blue.
I've told that story so many times over the years to punctuate how our generations have changed. When I was 14 living in Alabama, you could get a driving learners permit at that age. When we moved from Alabama to Idaho the following year... I was 15... I drove our family car (with mom next to me in the passenger seat) 2,000 miles on the interstate... at 15! I was sad to get to Idaho which had no learners permits but issued a full license at 16. I couldn't wait to finally get my license and start driving for real! All my peers were in the same frame of mind... a drivers license meant freedom! Oh... and my first car was a white one. But that white paint just happened to be sitting on top of a 1968 Dodge Charger with a 383 Magnum motor and big wide tires in the back. It was cool... and my dad was happy... except for the loud exhaust which he promptly paid to change out....that was a sad day.
Good luck on the car hunt! Hope she finds the color she's after! :-)
Is it a demand problem? Anymore than obesity or alcoholism or gambling is a demand problem? Yes, the last step will always have consequences of their actions, but I suspect there is room to ask some questions of those providing the options to choose.
No question the Sackler saga is one of the most hideous tales and I readily acknowledge I am conflating the traditional opium demand with opiate demand, if there is a difference. We have waged wars, at least in theory, against this scourge but the demand seems to shift to another substance on those occasions we make headway. I just don’t see how we deal with it, particularly when you throw in The legal but pervasive alcohol addiction problem. Besides making the Sacklers pay a great deal more than the settlement I read about, how do we address the issue?
Geez.... never would have thought that to be a problem
I'll not rant about my feelings on the drug issue as well as the mental health issues that seem to be rampant in our country. And I'll show my non-fully-educated (probably non-empathetic) side by admitting I don't really understand why criminal activity conducted by a person with mental health issues seems to get a "pass" with no accountability. I was watching a show last night with Right and Left perspectives on the Hunter Biden issue. The Right continued to hammer home his drug addiction issue which presumably led to a lot of bad decisions...some potentially criminal. The Left just hung their hat on: "...but he's an addict..." Does that excuse all his actions?
Enough of that and on to the reason why your post caused me to spit hot tea out of my mouth when reading it (the car dilemma). I have a good friend who is a retired Air Force Colonel. He was a pilot in the Air Force and loved all things mechanical...rode motorcycles...tinkered with cars... etc. His son left home and went to a university somewhere in New York State...not sure where but like your daughter, he didn't see the need for a car. He could get where he wanted to go on foot, bicycle or public transit. Rich (my friend) was perplexed as to why Ben didn't even want to get a driver's license (more on that later). The first three years went by and then the call came in. Ben called his dad and said: "I've been thinking about it and I've decided I want to get a car." Rich was over-the-moon! He dreamed of this day and started asking Ben what he was considering...hoping it would be Mustang, Challenger, something "cool." Ben told him he'd think about it. A couple of days went by and Ben called his dad and said: "I thought about it Dad." "Yes Son... what do you think you want?" Ben said: "I think I want a blue one....." Rich was speechless... and crushed. All those years of dreaming of his son in some kind of performance car where make / model / specifications make the difference... Ben just wanted something that ran... preferably in blue.
I've told that story so many times over the years to punctuate how our generations have changed. When I was 14 living in Alabama, you could get a driving learners permit at that age. When we moved from Alabama to Idaho the following year... I was 15... I drove our family car (with mom next to me in the passenger seat) 2,000 miles on the interstate... at 15! I was sad to get to Idaho which had no learners permits but issued a full license at 16. I couldn't wait to finally get my license and start driving for real! All my peers were in the same frame of mind... a drivers license meant freedom! Oh... and my first car was a white one. But that white paint just happened to be sitting on top of a 1968 Dodge Charger with a 383 Magnum motor and big wide tires in the back. It was cool... and my dad was happy... except for the loud exhaust which he promptly paid to change out....that was a sad day.
Good luck on the car hunt! Hope she finds the color she's after! :-)
Is it a demand problem? Anymore than obesity or alcoholism or gambling is a demand problem? Yes, the last step will always have consequences of their actions, but I suspect there is room to ask some questions of those providing the options to choose.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Painkiller_(TV_series)