New Scaratings

The dangers of using synthetic marijuana:
http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/04/health/sy ... index.html

Although I remarked to my own daughter about this story when it first appeared locally, I don't know what's scarier: the harmful effects of this substance or the inability of the doctors treating Emily to provide an accurate prognosis on which the family could base its decisions. I'll sum up that part of the story for anyone who doesn't follow the link: the family was told that Emily had virtually no quality of life and would never improve, and in reliance on that the family authorized withdrawal of life-sustaining equipment, believing that she would cross over within 30 minutes. Instead she lived, and the next day started talking to them. So this is a cautionary tale on two completely different fronts.

Brooke/AARDVK

Read that story this morning and it irritated me in a variety of ways. From the health care, to the availability of the stuff, to the fact the stepfather stated he knew she smoked it but since he can't be with her 24/7 there was nothing he could do. Hopefully she will continue to improve beyond what the doctors have stated possible.

And since I was thinking about this earlier, let me ask Brooke and some of the other parents out there. I know Brooke has a daughter that was 16 not too long ago. As a parent, do you allow your child to have a prominent nose and lip piercing as this child does?

No--as a matter of fact, when Blair was in middle school, a lot of the girls including her closest friends were getting their ears pierced, and of course Blair wanted to join them. But she needed parental permission, and although she argued very eloquently, I said no--that was a decision she needed to make for herself when she became an adult, not as a preteen being subjected to peer pressure. She's now 24 and has no visible piercings, not even ears, so she did change her mind about wanting them.

Brooke/AARDVK

What about your other daughters Natalie and Tootie?

There were two stores in my area that were major distributors of the synthetic pot & bath salts. Of the two, the bath salts were far more dangerous than the synth weed. The stores were run by the same folks...and they were making tons of cash. There were long lines to buy the stuff.

I was at a gas station on more than one instance when some tweeked out folks asked me directions to the shopping plaza. I always asked, "Are y'all looking for Hot Stuffs?". The answer was always, "Yea". The cars usually had out of state plates.

Today's area paper had an article about the bust last summer. All but one of the employees and owners have pled guilty. The other just had more federal charges levied against him. It's in the local paper, The Clarksburg Exponent-Telegram, if anyone is interested in a more in-depth read of the operation.

Ya'll that know me have an idea of what all I get into...er, used to get into. Far from shy about having a good time. However, I saw some early bizarro episodes involving the synthetic 'legal' (at that time) drugs that made me hesitant and leery of them.

There is now a black market in the area for the stuff, mostly the salts. The term "salt zombies" is the one I use for the folks that are so burnt out on the stuff that they have no idea of what is going on. For some reason, they have been refered to the local methodone clinic, which is packed from 5 am until they stop giving out doses around 10 am.

I'm glad the young lady is doing better and hope she continues to. In my small little area of Hillbillyville, that stuff has created many stories like hers.

BTW-SPOTES, how do you think TOOTIE got her name...EGADS!!!

Update

http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/11/health/sy ... ?hpt=hp_c4

Our daughter Morgan (QAZ BWW Farmville) is now 21. The rule was that, within school dress code, anything not permanent was OK. She grew her hair long and donated to Locks for Love after graduation.

She requested, and we approved, double ear-piercing. That was the norm for girls in her school, and it isn't/wasn't unusual for professional women, so we didn't see double ear piercing as a choice likely to adversely affect her life. Neither she nor we have regretted it. She has had no other piercings or tattoos.

Our son, hilariously, has struck some kind of deal with the Dean, and his hair is almost a foot long...a lustrous, shiny, perfectly clean foot-long mane. He has no tattoos or piercings.