Lawrence Police are investigating a multiple overdose, involving three people in the 3400 block of Scioto Drive Sunday morning. Police and Fire/Medical were dispatched just before 3:40 a.m., according to Journal-World news partner Operation 100.
Police arrived and found three people, all breathing but unresponsive at the scene. Initial reports are "recreational drug use."
No other details were immediately available as of late Sunday.
Comments
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ignatius_j_reilly (anonymous) says…
Well, I hope for the best for these folks, both physically and mentally. The address given is a little strange. There must only be a few residences on Scioto Dr., if any at all. It's not far from the Hy-Vee at Kasold & Clinton Pkwy, with tons of nearby apartments. Wonder if it was just kids walking around stoned on whatever.
cheeseburger (anonymous) says…
Sure hope the three medic units that were tied up on this call weren't needed on legitimate, more serious medical issues in the city or county. Would hate to think an honest, respectable, decent person couldn't get a timely response by an ambulance because of these morons.
kawrivercrow (anonymous) replies…
Like a heart attack or stroke or 'other legitimate, more serious medical issue' in an obese person who chose to shovel garbage into their piehole for decades while watching themselves circle the drain?
The difference between a teen who has a catastrophic event from experimenting with unpredictable drugs and the typical fatty is that the fatty knowingly indulged in their drug of choice for years and years instead of a one-time trip to the buffet.
I think that all people who deliberately damage themselves should be left to die, don't you?
none2 (anonymous) replies…
There are other differences between drug usage and weight gain if you would bother to use some common sense. The biggest difference is that humans must have food to live. Drugs, while some can be used to fight ailments in sick humans, are not required to live.
Secondly, how do you know that an obese person got that way from eating garbage? Obesity is about taking in more calories than are burnt off. You could get fat eating anything if you eat more of it than what you burn off. Weight gain can also be due to pregnancy, thyroid issues, water retention and a host of other issues. You can also have someone who has ended up being bedridden gain wait because they are unable to exercise. Not every obese person got that way from pigging out at some buffet.
cheeseburger (anonymous) replies…
Thank you, none2. Excellent comment.
ignatius_j_reilly (anonymous) replies…
And not every person who overdoses did it from illegal drugs, and on purpose. It's quite easy to mix medications, etc.
The point is it's stupid to judge kids making poor decisions harsher than people who have -- mostly, but not all, I'll agree -- been making poor decisions for decades or for all of their lives. It really is a matter of one mistake vs. a lifetime of mistakes.
You seem to have good sense, so it's surprising you don't take more issue with cheeseburger implying that these people don't deserve as much medical attention as the food-stuffing heart attack patients.
I think cheeseburger likes to stir the pot, and kawrivercrow made an excellent counter-point based in logic and the real world. In reality, we should have sympathy for people in both situations.
none2 (anonymous) replies…
I took issue with your comment, because it made little sense.
What is with this "poor decision for decades or all their life"? Have you done a survey? Do you truly know that "most" people have the way they have from just poor decisions?
I knew a woman who had to start taking some medications that caused her to gain wait within months.
I've also known people who because of their arthritis and or back pain, just wasn't up to doing much moving.
Two of the biggest contributers to weight gain is the declining metabolism rate as we age and the fact that modern society needs fewer calories do to all the conveniences in our lives. In some ways our diets don't have anymore calories than what we had 100 years ago. The difference is that human beings back then did a lot more activities to burn calories. No they weren't going to the gym to lift weights, ride bicycles, etc. So many of their minute by minute activities involved more physical endeavors.
Do you split logs to heat your house? Do you take the energy to hook up horses to a carriage to go to another town? Do you wash and dry clothing by hand? Do you make sure you don't use mechanical drills, mechanical saws, nail guns, and all the various modern gadgets that surround our society and cause us to do less physical activities? Do you grow/raise, prepare, and serve food for your own meals? Do you sew your own clothes? Plenty of such questions would be answered that we no longer do many of these physical things.
Another problem with eating is that for many people, stomachs and appetites haven't shrunk to match our shrinking caloric needs due to these societal changes or to aging. Most humans don't see eating as a just a function to acquire energy to exist. It isn't like just putting gasoline in your vehicle's tank. Many animals (including humans) developed senses of taste and smell over eons to really seek out food. It is part of what allows organisms to survive.
On the other hand drugs have absolutely nothing what so ever to do with sustaining us. Yes over eons humans have found properties of various substances to help with ailments. Humans can die if they don't get food. Only people with ailments might die if they don't take drugs.
I am absolutely shocked that a sane person would put eating in the same light as drug usage. Name me one human being that was born with a syringe, a filter for smoke, an extra liver for alcohol filtration, or various other extra contraptions to deal with the abuse of the body. While Cheeseburgers comments were rather harsh, do keep in mind that these individuals were identified as recreational users. Do you think these were three young people taking chemo that must messed up their dosages?
Finally, I'm not advocating obesity. It i something that many need to be aware of and deal with. It simply makes a poor analogy to deal with drug abuse.
ignatius_j_reilly (anonymous) replies…
"Finally, I'm not advocating obesity. It i something that many need to be aware of and deal with. It simply makes a poor analogy to deal with drug abuse."
If you're going to demonize people doing drugs and making a self-inflicted mistake, you need to demonize the people eating too much and making a self-inflicted mistake too. It's true not all obese people are that way because of eating, but many (didn't say 'most' because I have no backing research) are. Whether their drugs are needed for survival, each became addicted and put themselves into a bad position. If obese people should be forgiven for abusing a drug that started as sustenance, we can make the excuse that a drug addict was pressured into it or didn't realize what he was doing.
Remember, this is all coming from the perspective of 'do overdosing patients deserve less emergency care than obese patients with weight-related emergencies, or less emergency care than anyone else, regardless of race, religion or creed, or poor decision?' To me, we all deserve emergency care. It's what we all pay taxes for; it's part of a humane society.
You know, we're talking about drug abusers and food abusers, but often people can be both. Maybe it's just a matter of age. People with addictive personalities will use anything to destroy themselves. Everyone up and down the line deserves our support, and emergency services, not condemnation.
none2 (anonymous) replies…
Your still being illogical in comparing obesity with drug addiction.
If you knew anything about 12 step you would know that groups such as AA, NA, etc. are about complete abstention from the substance. The goal isn't to continue to drink or drugs in moderation. On the other hand a twelve step for food, is NOT going to be about abstaining from food but to do it in moderation.
ALL human beings require food, water and air at a bare minimum to continue to stay alive. Human beings do NOT require drugs. The word drug is not easy to define as it has legal, medical, etc definitions. However, the simplest definition of drug I could find was: "any substance that, when absorbed into the body of a living organism, alters normal bodily function". Food digestion is part of normal bodily functions, so it is not the same as a drug. So there is no "forgivness" of an obese person abusing a drug because food substance is not considered a drug in any possible stretch of the imagination..
Drug use is a menace to society, there is no redeeming value to it except that politically those in to "chemical masturbation" want to force its legitimacy on everybody else.
It is also an awfully big leap to assume that somehow a drug overdoes is always from some beginning drug user who hasn't abuses drugs for years. That is not true.
Obesity on the other hand is a menace that society in part created. Also you are putting in the assumption that obesity is from abuse of food. It can be just as much from the lack of exercise because the bottom line is you gain weight if you take in more calories than you eliminate. You could have someone young and with a high metabolism eating large portions of food, but having no obesity. You could also have someone with a very low metabolism who gains weight very easily.
Also while there may be a handful of extra hefty people in the 300, 400, 500, 600, plus range, that is a very insignificant number compared to the number of drug users we have in this country.
Our society does everything to avoid physical exertion. Everybody wants a mechanical device so that they don't have to use their bodies. Those that do try to exercise then have the difficulty of keeping clean. If someone wanted to bike, walk, jog, run, etc to work to school, to church, or to any business. Would there be a public shower somewhere so that the individual can clean up and not appear to be sweaty?
Our society wants leisure and no sweat. Our society also considers dress shoes to be something that you might stand, pose, and look pretty with, but you could never run or be very physically involved wearing them.
You can choose to demonize obesity if you like, but any analogy to drug use just isn't there. Perhaps a better analogy would be to compare recreation drug use with erotic asphyxiation.
shinythings (anonymous) replies…
So... by your theory, it would be more acceptable for me to go on the crystal meth diet than to overeat. Then I'd qualify as being a human worthy of medical care? Interesting theory. Maybe we could have weight scales attached to our phones when we call 911 so we don't waste time going to the homes of the overweight.
Well, count me in on that plan! Clearly the drug addicts are making more rational decisions and are the better future citizens. Also... as long as they don't smile and show their rotten teeth they're better looking people and the world could use a few more of those.
ignatius_j_reilly (anonymous) replies…
Thank you, kawrivercrow. Excellent comment.
parco814 (anonymous) replies…
cheeseburger and kawrivercrow are both wrong. Medical professionals have a duty to help those in need of medical attention. Moralizing and speculating about the choices that people whose lives are endangered did or did not make is not the province of doctors, nurses, et al. It's the province of some people on these message boards, apparently, and what the hell good does it do anyone?
DaddyTopCat (Scott Kaiser) replies…
^^^THIS!
beatrice (anonymous) replies…
Like someone crashing their vehicle while driving drunk?
beckyk (anonymous) replies…
R U serious? Self righteous people like you have to eat their words a lot of times. How dare you call these people morons! If you don't call this a serious issue then maybe you need your head examined! There are alot more "respectable" people that do drugs then you think, they just have the money to hush it up. I am just glad that all 3 units were there to help. Buddy you need to go to church and ask for forgiveness for thinking u are above everybody else. I could go on & on but you really aren't with the effort! Jerk!
topflight (anonymous) says…
Must have been having a Wakarusa Festival reunion.
peachesncream (anonymous) says…
Cheeseburger, you dont consider a overdose a legitimate more serious medical issue ? and what makes these three indiv's not honest, respectable and decent people?? Do you know them? No i didnt figure you did , So how can you pass judgement on the? Do you know the whole story ? No didnt figure that one either. Do i know them ??? NOPE.. but Like most people in the world i do not judge anyone. IF this were your family member needing medical assistance i bet it would be a legitimate serious medical issue. It doesnt matter the nature of the overdose all is considered a legitimate serious medical issue.And im pretty sure that had there been a more serious medical issue elsewhere the medic/EMTs/dispatchers would of known what actions to take and pull however many needed units off this issue and respond to the emergency leaving fewer but yet still responsible professionals on the call . Again your judging. This time the knowledge of the medical responding teams in lawrence . I hope that everyone involved in this incident make full recovery, and that they dont listen to Morons like cheesebuger,,,oops CB was that judgemental of me ?
cheeseburger (anonymous) replies…
Self-inflicted damage done to one's body by the use of illegal substances is a classic case of stupidity.
A person doesn't have to know the parties involved to observe that the behavior is reckless and stupid. Perhaps you are a participant, or at least very close to the situation - too close to look at it objectively. If it walks like a duck . . . . .
Someone having a heart attack or stroke is a legitimate medical emergency.
Lots of really great people around whose bodies are failing them because they are riddled with cancers or other diseases. And then there are others with healthy bodies who choose to abuse them by abusing alcohol and drugs. Sad.
larrytowngirl (anonymous) replies…
Maybe they should pay more attention to those of you (cheeseburger) .. that need a HEART transplant!.. figuritivly speaking of course. (what a heartless moron)
Raphael (anonymous) replies…
So you're all grown up now and smart, and never do anything wrong? Wow - Very impressive.
parco814 (anonymous) replies…
You heard it here first (or worst), folks. Providing medical attention to people who have broken the law and/or abused their bodies means that other, more moral and intelligent people will be deprived of said care. It's an either/or case, a zero sum game. Let the former die and rot so that the latter can be saved.
True, few people have more experience in the realm of stupidity than does cheeseburger, so I guess his view carries some weight.
Fretster (anonymous) replies…
"Self-inflicted damage done to one's body by the use of illegal substances is a classic case of stupidity."
Another classic case of stupidity? Cheeseburger posting here.
jhawkinsf (anonymous) says…
Legalize all this stuff. All that money we spend on the "war on drugs" will be saved. Then we can spend the money on ambulances, E.R. staff and cemetery plots. Oh wait, no savings, never mind.
pizzapete (anonymous) replies…
Actually legalizing would save money. Imagine buying booze and having no idea if it was 10, 50, or 100 proof. That is the problem with illegal drugs. No one is ever sure of the purity of the drugs they are taking.
jhawkinsf (anonymous) replies…
So the money saved on the war on drugs will be spent on another government bureaucracy that will test and administer the drugs. With the cost spread out amongst all taxpayers. So the non-users will be subsidizing the costs of the drug users. Yep, sign me up that that one.
Crazy_Larry (anonymous) replies…
Yep... Only this new government bureaucracy will not mistakenly kick in your door in the middle of the night and shoot you or your dog for looking at them.
cabocrazed (anonymous) says…
Fine - I'll judge them then.
They are stupid, stupid, stupid.
Recreational drug use that ends up as a overdose is stupid - as alcohol is. First of all, do you realize it can kill you? Secondly, do you realize how many resources taking care of these people ties up - all in the name of fun? The EMS workers, nurses, doctors, technicians, and hospital bed ? Now multiply that by 3.
Be considerate of others. Before you dabble in drugs or alcohol, think of how your actions are going to affect others - drivers, medical personnel, etc.
kernal (anonymous) replies…
Plus the horrendous monetary cost! One incident like this can wipe out a college fund.
tanaumaga (anonymous) says…
Too many pot brownies
Perses (anonymous) replies…
You can't overdose on marijuana. At least get your facts straight.
tanaumaga (anonymous) replies…
it's a joke. and that's a fact. are we straight?
Crazy_Larry (anonymous) replies…
The only way pot brownies are going to hurt anyone is if you made a literal ton of them and they fell on you.
Perses (anonymous) replies…
+1
beatrice (anonymous) replies…
Or you ate a ton of them and got so fat from the processed sugar that you have a heart attack.
Liberty275 (anonymous) replies…
You could always try to eat your way out.
kernal (anonymous) says…
Legal drugs used for the wrong reasons is not recreation...it's stupidity and ignorance.
Parents, please keep an eye on your medications, as well as your parents, if you have kids. No matter how "good" you know your children are, it's still a temptation for many. Also, please have the "substance abuse" talk with them when you have the sex talk. Often times they go hand in hand.
lawslady (anonymous) says…
possible huffing?
Perses (anonymous) says…
I've done my share of drugs (thankfully I survived) but I known many who haven't. Good people who thought they were in control, but you never are. This seems like an experiment gone bad. Trying to mix drugs not realizing the toxicology of the substances they were using.
People tend to criticize and comment about the stupidity of these actions but fail to understand the euphoria the user experiences unless they have been there and done that. If you have an addictive personality it is even more dangerous. My only hope is that they have learned from this experience. Not that many people get a chance to see death up close. It can be a life changing event.
Liberty275 (anonymous) says…
Legalize drugs, tax them, regulate the commercial sale and put in a new aisle at walmart. I'd rather see people using walmart-quality recreational drugs than putting just whatever they can find on the local street corner at midnight into their bodies. The only real problem is getting the Chinese to grow/manufacture the drugs for next to nothing so they can get the walmart contract.
Maybe Z's could have a premium line of fair-trade drugs to go with their $5 lattes for people with too much taste to go to walmart. And you could be getting it from college girls. That's always an added bonus.
Nah, America is too stupid for that. It's better to keep it in the shadows so it can keep killing people or sending them to the hospital, probably on our dime.
beatrice (anonymous) replies…
Come on L275, you are completely off base here and you don't even realize it. You should stand for legalizing drugs without taxation. This pro-taxation bent of yours will ruin our country.
lhsgrad (anonymous) says…
Don't you see that it states "Inital Reports" state that it was recreational. Until you know exactly what is going on don't be rude and cruel. Maybe say a prayer for them. Do you donate to help people struggling? I do...try it out than judge
kawrivercrow (anonymous) says…
@ none2: You are enabling others (and possibly yourself) to die of Piehole Disease with your flimsy rationalizations. We all live and die by the choices we make. However, the same peer pressure that promotes drug use also runs parallel to the permissive fat acceptance dogma that promotes food abuse. Hopefully Cheeseburger will not take your cue and dig himself even deeper with a fork and spoon.
BTW - 'water retention' as a cause of obesity almost made me laugh so hard I spewed green tea on the keyboard. You see, the choice of green tea over soda is just one of many choices I make that prevent Piehole Disease. A low-cal Mediterranean diet is another. Quit pretending the epidemic of obesity is due to pregnancy, water retention and hypothyroidism. That's just silly.
none2 (anonymous) replies…
Since you seem to have this bizarre idea that food abuse is promoted by some exiting "fat acceptance" movement, I'll give a non-human example:
I have two black labs: 1) A female about six years old; 2) A male about seven years old. Both are fixed. They both have food set out at certain time of the day. They do not have access to their dog food 24/7.
The male gobbles food to his heart's content. If the female has something that he wants, he simply takes it -- typical male behavior. They both go outside, and they both sleep inside. The male loves to sleep longer than the female. When I go jogging I take the female but not the male mainly because the male has bum knees (or whatever you want to call the equivalent joint in a four legged animal's hind legs).
Once in a blue moon I may have scraps to give the animals. I'll only give the female bones or some lean meat if I have it. The male can get any fat or scrap meat.
The female is NOT abusing food as she has no access to food to overeat. Her Piehole (or Pie-muzzle) is not out to eat everything in sight. Since she is a dog, she has no understanding of of "fat acceptance dogma" (no pun intended). She also is not a lazy dog, yet she is the one who is overweight. Her metabolism simply is not the same as the male's metabolism.
bookemdano (anonymous) says…
The linked source where LJW got their information from (presumably someone transcribing police scanner transmissions) states that it was supposedly a mixture of GHB, Ecstasy, Adderol, and alcohol. Sounds pretty recreational to me.
I'm also familiar with the house where this occurred and let's just say I'm not surprised at all. I don't wish them any harm, but just calling a spade a spade.
sherbert (anonymous) says…
maybe it was alcohol. all 3 could have taken too many shots and passed out. legally.
Perses (anonymous) replies…
Our drug laws, including alcohol and cigarettes, are ludicrous, as is the society that enacts them. Why not try a different method. We can always go back to prohibiting them, but we know the current is system is a failure. Let pharmacy's dispense them as as OTC drugs with licenses similar to those for alcohol. Age restrictions and abuse penalties also similar to alcohol. Granted it would not have changed this situation, but it would relieve the tremendous burden and cost of our current system. Perhaps we could use those monies to increase abuse education rather then law enforcement. Now I'll hop off my soapbox.
sierraclub (anonymous) says…
Why treat them? Why not just leave them alone? Sometimes, problems solve themself.
Fretster (anonymous) replies…
We certainly you would resolve yourself, sierraflub.
atiopatioo (anonymous) says…
Were these people Lawrence's retiree constituency?
misplacedcheesehead (anonymous) says…
The use of illegal recreational drugs IS stupid! I have loved ones who are addicts, and I still say it is stupid. It's about people being in pain and doing stupid things to deaden it.
sierraclub (anonymous) says…
The entire world knows that drugs and alcohol are bad. Why keep treating these people with our tax dollars. Yes, I have children. No pitty from me if or when they screw up. The entire world knows that rules that are in place.
sierraclub (anonymous) says…
'These people' are anyone who decides to make their own rules and throw caution into the wind. If you think you are too tough to wear a seat belt while in a car, do not cry when there is an accident and you get hurt. If you think that you can drink for hours and drive home, think again. Quit feeling sorry for 'these people'. We need to reconsider who we need to help.
KuGal12426 (anonymous) says…
My thoughts are with those in any kind of unfortunate condition as well as their families.
On another note, to address the hobby commentators...
I hope that a tragedy or a trying circumstance never strikes the lives of any of those who feel justified in exhibiting blatant disrespect to their fellow members of society. I think that realizing how terrible they've been toward complete strangers in their most difficult moments may be even more pain than they can bear.
That is, unless they are indeed simply heartless and so self-righteous that they don't see the error in their ways. In that case, I rely upon the ljworld.com staff to delete their comments before they cause further pain.
Crazy_Larry (anonymous) says…
So, did they overdose on prescription drugs? Please, do tell.
Crazy_Larry (anonymous) replies…
The National Post; Nov. 1, 2011 - U.S. prescription drug overdose ‘epidemic’ kills more than cocaine and heroin. "Lethal overdoses from prescription painkillers have tripled in the past decade and now account for more deaths than heroin and cocaine combined, U.S. health authorities said Tuesday."
http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/11/...
Crazy_Larry (anonymous) replies…
These are the 'good' drugs, am I right? Legal and all...
milehighhawk (anonymous) says…
It's like Jesus said: judge others.
megarooski (anonymous) says…
Who do you think you people are? Who are you to say that someone should die? You're NOT God. Obviously these three people were given a second chance for a reason. What makes you get off on posting evil things about a situation that you know nothing about. You dont know, maybe something was slipped in their drinks without them knowing it. Think about it, it is pretty weird three passed out at the same time? Its no ones business but theirs. You all need to look at yourselves instead of judging others and assuming you know everything about everyones situation. No one is perfect and how dare you act like you are better than another. Just remember karmas a b*tch and what goes around comes around. I pray for all of you ignorant people!