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Rice star Blain Padgett died from opioids - loki_the_bubba - 06-19-2018 06:47 PM
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/rice/article/Report-Former-Rice-star-Blain-Padgett-died-opioid-13007536.php
RE: Rice star Blain Padgett died from opioids - OldOwl - 06-19-2018 11:31 PM
How did he get the drug and why was he taking it?
RE: Rice star Blain Padgett died from opioids - GoodOwl - 06-20-2018 10:12 AM
Quote:Officials ruled Padgett's death an accident due to "toxic effects of carfentanil."
Carfentanil is a synthetic opioid "10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times more potent than fentanyl," according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The drug is used as a tranquilizer for elephants, the DEA said, and can resemble powdered cocaine or heroin.
My Lord how horrible! What in the world possesses someone, especially a kid who is smart enough to go to a school like Rice, to take an elephant tranquilizer, of all things? 10,000 times more potent than morphine? My goodness!
One of the things I was troubled by during my time on campus was the rampant use and availability of serious drugs at the school. I'm not merely talking about the wink and nod given to gateway drugs like pot by both faculty and students. But I remember the casual attitude seemingly held by many students I observed as they discussed and/or partook of them often with defiance and without remorse. Even more I remember the condescending and often hostile attitude of many student/users towards anyone or any authority who declined to participate in drug abuse or wanted to prevent it by students/users and it was appalling to me back then as it remains today. These same attitudes appear to permeate our colleges and universities today at too high a rate to go unnoticed or to not have tragic effects on our society, both short and longer term. This boy likely had little understanding of the real and present danger he was being exposed to, however he came to get these drugs.
Drug use at Rice was usually presented as some illicit rite of passage, fun and benign, and non-participation was most often ridiculed and frowned upon by far too many who should have been smart enough to know better, what with the advanced level of sciences on campus. Or worse, it was rationalized in a way that might well have received a failing grade in most any serious campus philosophy or bioethics class. Not to say that this was significantly different from other friends' school I visited during that time, but I expected much more from Rice due to the perceived caliber of students who could matriculate and was disappointed more than I would have guessed prior. I chose to distance myself from anyone who used or condoned drugs, which meant a larger portion of the school populace than I would have hoped when I applied.
While the article states the school basically declined comment and side-stepped the issue (mirroring too large a portion of our society that appears to do the same to our mutual detriment), one would hope that the leadership of the school would more openly and honestly build upon this tragedy to undertake a serious effort to educate and eradicate illicit drug use of any kind on the campus and by its students. An institution of higher learning should be unafraid to educate on any relevant matter that affects its populace and this seems clearly one. I only hope that today the situation has improved for the safety and well-being of the present and potential future students. I pray for Padgett's family as they cope with this even more tragic news.
RE: Rice star Blain Padgett died from opioids - WRCisforgotten79 - 06-20-2018 10:56 AM
LOL @ "gateway drugs like pot ..."
I've never used it, and never will, but this comment "reeks" of "Reefer Madness."
RE: Rice star Blain Padgett died from opioids - mrbig - 06-20-2018 11:41 AM
Very tragic news.
While I don't agree with some of GoodOwl's comments, I do think drug use at Rice is a worth topic for discussion, in light of the death of a student. I attended Rice around the turn of the millenium. I knew plenty of people in my extended friendship group who tried pot in college (some smoked it quite frequently). I don't know of any of them trying any "harder" drugs than pot, so I disagree that it is a gateway drug (any more than alcohol or tobacco). Included in that group are a number of "doctors and lawyers and business executives...."
RE: Rice star Blain Padgett died from opioids - waltgreenberg - 06-20-2018 03:40 PM
(06-20-2018 11:41 AM)mrbig Wrote: Very tragic news.
While I don't agree with some of GoodOwl's comments, I do think drug use at Rice is a worth topic for discussion, in light of the death of a student. I attended Rice around the turn of the millenium. I knew plenty of people in my extended friendship group who tried pot in college (some smoked it quite frequently). I don't know of any of them trying any "harder" drugs than pot, so I disagree that it is a gateway drug (any more than alcohol or tobacco). Included in that group are a number of "doctors and lawyers and business executives...."
I'll second this. I was on campus from 1974 - '78, when hard drug use across the country was at one of it's high levels. It was post the LSD era and largely before the omnipresence of cocaine (which was prevailant during my subsequent business school period), but definitely at the peak of the heroin crisis. And though I had heard rumors of heavy drug use prior to matriculating (including scare tactics in the Yalee handbook), I saw little or no hard drug use during my years on campus. Yes, pot was prevalent, and I did partake myself on a social basis, but I never felt pressured to do so. And I knew more than a couple who were very heavy pot users and were still Summa *** Laude or Phi Beta Kappa recipients...and who while at Rice didn't move on to any of the heavier drugs.
RE: Rice star Blain Padgett died from opioids - greyowl72 - 06-20-2018 06:20 PM
I couldn’t even speculate as to the why and what. My anesthesia colleagues had never heard of this particular opiate. If it truly is as powerful a drug as the article states, it has to be uniformly fatal with casual human use.
The tragedy lies, of course, in the nation-wide opiate crisis. It’s impact has effected millions of people in America and is the single most important factor in health care today. It’s cost is staggering. And it has the potential to wreak havoc on every family in this country.
If you haven’t read it already, I recommend Dreamland. By Sam Quinones. Required reading for my surgery residents. A chilling, well written book about how we got to this point.
RE: Rice star Blain Padgett died from opioids - owlaholic - 06-20-2018 09:17 PM
(06-20-2018 06:20 PM)greyowl72 Wrote: I couldn’t even speculate as to the why and what. My anesthesia colleagues had never heard of this particular opiate. If it truly is as powerful a drug as the article states, it has to be uniformly fatal with casual human use.
The tragedy lies, of course, in the nation-wide opiate crisis. It’s impact has effected millions of people in America and is the single most important factor in health care today. It’s cost is staggering. And it has the potential to wreak havoc on every family in this country.
If you haven’t read it already, I recommend Dreamland. By Sam Quinones. Required reading for my surgery residents. A chilling, well written book about how we got to this point.
![[Image: COV_opioid_map.jpg]](https://www.hhnmag.com/ext/resources/inc-hhn/img/articles/article_images/2016/March/COV_opioid_map.jpg)
A crisis at our shores now. T&P to Padgett family.
RE: Rice star Blain Padgett died from opioids - RiceLad15 - 06-20-2018 09:49 PM
The opioid crisis would see some relief by the legalization of the “gateway drug” marijuana. If I’m remembering my readings correctly, states with legal or medicinal marijuana have shown decreases in opiod deaths compared to other states.
RE: Rice star Blain Padgett died from opioids - owlaholic - 06-20-2018 10:04 PM
(06-20-2018 09:49 PM)RiceLad15 Wrote: The opioid crisis would see some relief by the legalization of the “gateway drug” marijuana. If I’m remembering my readings correctly, states with legal or medicinal marijuana have shown decreases in opiod deaths compared to other states.
^Still a banned substance by NCAA but you can take elephant tranquilizer and escape detection. Even in legalized states.
RE: Rice star Blain Padgett died from opioids - OptimisticOwl - 06-21-2018 01:33 AM
(06-20-2018 09:17 PM)owlaholic Wrote:(06-20-2018 06:20 PM)greyowl72 Wrote: I couldn’t even speculate as to the why and what. My anesthesia colleagues had never heard of this particular opiate. If it truly is as powerful a drug as the article states, it has to be uniformly fatal with casual human use.
The tragedy lies, of course, in the nation-wide opiate crisis. It’s impact has effected millions of people in America and is the single most important factor in health care today. It’s cost is staggering. And it has the potential to wreak havoc on every family in this country.
If you haven’t read it already, I recommend Dreamland. By Sam Quinones. Required reading for my surgery residents. A chilling, well written book about how we got to this point.
A crisis at our shores now. T&P to Padgett family.
Does that really say up to 143 opioid prescriptions per 100 people?
RE: Rice star Blain Padgett died from opioids - I45owl - 06-21-2018 02:53 PM
(06-21-2018 01:33 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:(06-20-2018 09:17 PM)owlaholic Wrote:(06-20-2018 06:20 PM)greyowl72 Wrote: I couldn’t even speculate as to the why and what. My anesthesia colleagues had never heard of this particular opiate. If it truly is as powerful a drug as the article states, it has to be uniformly fatal with casual human use.
The tragedy lies, of course, in the nation-wide opiate crisis. It’s impact has effected millions of people in America and is the single most important factor in health care today. It’s cost is staggering. And it has the potential to wreak havoc on every family in this country.
If you haven’t read it already, I recommend Dreamland. By Sam Quinones. Required reading for my surgery residents. A chilling, well written book about how we got to this point.
A crisis at our shores now. T&P to Padgett family.
Does that really say up to 143 opioid prescriptions per 100 people?
[URL]
https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/opioids/infographic.html#graphic-b
[/URL]
Quote:In 2015, the amount of opioids prescribed was enough for every American to be medicated around the clock for 3 weeks.
RE: Rice star Blain Padgett died from opioids - OptimisticOwl - 06-21-2018 03:51 PM
(06-21-2018 02:53 PM)I45owl Wrote:(06-21-2018 01:33 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:(06-20-2018 09:17 PM)owlaholic Wrote:(06-20-2018 06:20 PM)greyowl72 Wrote: I couldn’t even speculate as to the why and what. My anesthesia colleagues had never heard of this particular opiate. If it truly is as powerful a drug as the article states, it has to be uniformly fatal with casual human use.
The tragedy lies, of course, in the nation-wide opiate crisis. It’s impact has effected millions of people in America and is the single most important factor in health care today. It’s cost is staggering. And it has the potential to wreak havoc on every family in this country.
If you haven’t read it already, I recommend Dreamland. By Sam Quinones. Required reading for my surgery residents. A chilling, well written book about how we got to this point.
A crisis at our shores now. T&P to Padgett family.
Does that really say up to 143 opioid prescriptions per 100 people?
[URL]
https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/opioids/infographic.html#graphic-b
[/URL]Quote:In 2015, the amount of opioids prescribed was enough for every American to be medicated around the clock for 3 weeks.
Wow. Not only is somebody getting my share, but lots of somebodies are medicated around the clock 365.
Of course one is my 70 year old sister, who is on prescribed Oxy. She gets 4 prescriptions a year, each for 90 days.
I don't have much respect for the
RE: Rice star Blain Padgett died from opioids - Barney - 06-22-2018 11:55 AM
(06-20-2018 03:40 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:(06-20-2018 11:41 AM)mrbig Wrote: Very tragic news.
While I don't agree with some of GoodOwl's comments, I do think drug use at Rice is a worth topic for discussion, in light of the death of a student. I attended Rice around the turn of the millenium. I knew plenty of people in my extended friendship group who tried pot in college (some smoked it quite frequently). I don't know of any of them trying any "harder" drugs than pot, so I disagree that it is a gateway drug (any more than alcohol or tobacco). Included in that group are a number of "doctors and lawyers and business executives...."
I'll second this. I was on campus from 1974 - '78, when hard drug use across the country was at one of it's high levels. It was post the LSD era and largely before the omnipresence of cocaine (which was prevailant during my subsequent business school period), but definitely at the peak of the heroin crisis. And though I had heard rumors of heavy drug use prior to matriculating (including scare tactics in the Yalee handbook), I saw little or no hard drug use during my years on campus. Yes, pot was prevalent, and I did partake myself on a social basis, but I never felt pressured to do so. And I knew more than a couple who were very heavy pot users and were still Summa *** Laude or Phi Beta Kappa recipients...and who while at Rice didn't move on to any of the heavier drugs.
This sums up my experience during the late 70's as well. I did have an acquaintance who once spent an entire night outside the dorm after LSD --- he sat cross-legged, contemplating a specific tree he expressed love for...
RE: Rice star Blain Padgett died from opioids - Barney - 06-22-2018 12:00 PM
(06-20-2018 06:20 PM)greyowl72 Wrote: My anesthesia colleagues had never heard of this particular opiate. If it truly is as powerful a drug as the article states, it has to be uniformly fatal with casual human use.
My colleagues and I have never heard of it either. And, if actually this potent, then I would consider whether this was murder...because nobody would intentionally even TOUCH the stuff...
RE: Rice star Blain Padgett died from opioids - RiceLad15 - 06-22-2018 12:03 PM
(06-22-2018 11:55 AM)Barney Wrote:(06-20-2018 03:40 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:(06-20-2018 11:41 AM)mrbig Wrote: Very tragic news.
While I don't agree with some of GoodOwl's comments, I do think drug use at Rice is a worth topic for discussion, in light of the death of a student. I attended Rice around the turn of the millenium. I knew plenty of people in my extended friendship group who tried pot in college (some smoked it quite frequently). I don't know of any of them trying any "harder" drugs than pot, so I disagree that it is a gateway drug (any more than alcohol or tobacco). Included in that group are a number of "doctors and lawyers and business executives...."
I'll second this. I was on campus from 1974 - '78, when hard drug use across the country was at one of it's high levels. It was post the LSD era and largely before the omnipresence of cocaine (which was prevailant during my subsequent business school period), but definitely at the peak of the heroin crisis. And though I had heard rumors of heavy drug use prior to matriculating (including scare tactics in the Yalee handbook), I saw little or no hard drug use during my years on campus. Yes, pot was prevalent, and I did partake myself on a social basis, but I never felt pressured to do so. And I knew more than a couple who were very heavy pot users and were still Summa *** Laude or Phi Beta Kappa recipients...and who while at Rice didn't move on to any of the heavier drugs.
This sums up my experience during the late 70's as well. I did have an acquaintance who once spent an entire night outside the dorm after LSD --- he sat cross-legged, contemplating a specific tree he expressed love for...
Similar experiences in the late 2000s (2007-2011). There were pockets of hard drug use, but it certainly wasn't widespread. When I heard about drug use that was harder than pot, it was mostly limited to psychedelics or pills like MDMA/extasy - I did not hear or see a lot of opioid use.
RE: Rice star Blain Padgett died from opioids - JSA - 06-22-2018 01:24 PM
(06-22-2018 12:00 PM)Barney Wrote:(06-20-2018 06:20 PM)greyowl72 Wrote: My anesthesia colleagues had never heard of this particular opiate. If it truly is as powerful a drug as the article states, it has to be uniformly fatal with casual human use.
My colleagues and I have never heard of it either. And, if actually this potent, then I would consider whether this was murder...because nobody would intentionally even TOUCH the stuff...
My colleague is studying recovery from opioid use.
As soon as I mentioned the "elephant tranquilizer" aspect, he said, "carfentanil." He also said there's a good chance Padgett
thought he was taking something else (which I know isn't consolation).
I've wondered about the homicide aspect, too.
Even smart people do not so smart things.
During the mid to late 70s, the drugs of choice I encountered were alcohol (the overwhelming favorite) and marijuana.
My freshman week was essentially a week-long beer bust.
RE: Rice star Blain Padgett died from opioids - Tomball Owl - 06-22-2018 01:29 PM
(06-22-2018 01:24 PM)JSA Wrote:(06-22-2018 12:00 PM)Barney Wrote:(06-20-2018 06:20 PM)greyowl72 Wrote: My anesthesia colleagues had never heard of this particular opiate. If it truly is as powerful a drug as the article states, it has to be uniformly fatal with casual human use.
My colleagues and I have never heard of it either. And, if actually this potent, then I would consider whether this was murder...because nobody would intentionally even TOUCH the stuff...
My colleague is studying recovery from opioid use.
As soon as I mentioned the "elephant tranquilizer" aspect, he said, "carfentanil." He also said there's a good chance Padgett
thought he was taking something else (which I know isn't consolation).
I've wondered about the homicide aspect, too.
Even smart people do not so smart things.
During the mid to late 70s, the drugs of choice I encountered were alcohol (the overwhelming favorite) and marijuana.
My freshman week was essentially a week-long beer bust.
Ditto. It helped that the State lowered the legal drinking age to 18 in the summer of 73, a few weeks after my 18th birthday and a few weeks before my freshman O-week.
RE: Rice star Blain Padgett died from opioids - gsloth - 06-22-2018 04:19 PM
I read an article elsewhere that quoted from other legit sources that carfentanil was being passed off as heroin in some instances (for whatever reason). Unfortunately, it's what he wound up with, whatever his reasons for using it (or even if it was accidental exposure). And it's an outright shame.
I can think of a couple of scenarios where Rice could ultimately take part of the blame, so I have a feeling this isn't over yet.
RE: Rice star Blain Padgett died from opioids - owl40 - 06-24-2018 08:02 AM
Can't verify authenticity but did hear about a recent kid on Rice golf team who transferred out in past year citing 'rampant drug problem at Rice' as a reason for leaving.
I would guess that Rice wants this story buried publicly and privately is doing a bunch of work to get layers deeper on what (if anything) is going on and investigate if this is a canary in coal mine type of thing.
Although a long time ago now, I do remember some isolated incidents of harder drugs at Rice but would hear more about them being off-campus when visiting clubs/bars in H-Town or parties when visiting other campuses like UT, UH, A&M, etc.
My $.02 is that drugs are everywhere for some and nowhere for others. If you want them, they are easy to find/see. If you don't, you don't find/see them that much.