The "friend" you buy illicit drugs from gets his drug supply from a long chain of criminals who make it and don't care a whit for anyone's health and safety. Maybe you think he's a nice guy, but his suppliers are not. Giving these people access to your health and life is a monumentally foolish risk. Please don't take the drugs. Don't try it. Don't be a victim.

Today's illicit drugs are laced with chemicals that are designed to addict you quickly (and destroy your life). Criminals don't care. They just want your money. Addicting you quickly is how they force you to abandon any possibility of a stable, happy life in pursuit of the drug. That is what addicts do. Just trying these drugs is dangerous. The risk is not worth it.

Take control of your life. Do not give your life away to people who will only abuse you once you are hooked. Do not support the chains of criminals who are responsible for the deaths of millions worldwide by giving them your money.

If you cannot find another way to enjoy your life, please find help. There are many pathways toward happiness, but criminals, by definition, are intent on taking something precious from you, not helping you.

Illicit fentanyl is being manufactured in the People's Republic of China and then transported to Mexico for distribution throughout America.

The 'Just Say No' concept being expounded by Consider Your Options is somewhat reminiscent of Nancy Reagan.

Successfully curtailing fentynal distribution and addictions will involve a lot more than that.

Bring back the fried egg commercial. "This is drugs. This is your brain on drugs. Any questions?"

It sent a message that hard drugs might fry your brain, with irreversible damage. Drug usage did go down - teenagers and young adults.

Meth is cheaply (and dangerously) manufactured and readily available at minimal costs to the consumer.

Methamphetamine is a potent stimulant often referred to as the poor man's coke.

It will be very difficult to eradicate this substance as it is highly addictive and relatively easy to procure.

I remember hearing a number of years ago now (back before hospitals had fancy machines to monitor drug usage closer) of a Anesthesiologist who lost their life after using drugs in the work restroom. If I remember correctly they lost their life to fentanyl. Even this most highly trained professional with such drugs, likely having used hospital grade fentanyl succumbed to usage. In-spite of medical professionals even having through their licensing boards programs in place to help them with addictions.

If an Anesthesiologist can't get the dosage right (self administering to themselves), please don't also risk throwing your life away. Thank you.

Most drug abusers are not happy or fulfilled people and they are seeking an escape from the everyday world.

And sadly, most are incapable of transporting their gloom into art or literature.

[Portion removed.]

Possession used to be a felony and we could leverage criminal penalties to get ppl treatment and rehab. Until a legion of old hippies and do gooders basically decriminalized drugs with predictable results. DAs have previously said behind closed doors that getting a drug sales conviction out of a Palo Alto jury was next to impossible as they had romanticized ideas about drug use and “sticking it to the man.”
Portugal has a pretty good carrot and stick model to get users clean.