MASS SCHOOL SHOOTINGS, PART 3

MASS SCHOOL SHOOTINGS, PART 3

By Richard E. “Rick” Dennis CPP
Certified Protection ProfessionaL
Risk Manager and Analyst
Freelance Journalist and Author
July 8, 2022
​Copyright - All Rights Reserved

ILLEGAL DRUG USE AND PRESCRIPTION ABUSE IN THE USA

In my continuing effort to establish a “Root Cause” of mass shootings; including mass school shootings in the USA, one must include illegal drug use as well as prescription drug abuse in the Risk Analysis. Historically, after a mass shooting, law enforcement never releases the results of the toxicology drug report, of the shooter, identifying whether or not drug use is a contributing factor. Consequently, the general public is only allowed to focus on one political aspect; the weapon used, e.g., the AR-15 rifle, semi-auto pistol, or another weapon type.

This liberal political propaganda is mimicked by, liberal news outlets, nation wide. Fact: As previously stated, the weapon of choice is not the cause, but an end result of the shooters psychosis and the instrument to carry out a mass shooting. Therefore, the weapon used is NOT the root cause of the shooters actions, but the tool to commit the crime. Much like a crow bar is used to open a door of a window to commit the burglary of a dwelling.

Recently, a July 4, 2022 Tweet from Congresswoman; Marjorie Taylor Green delineates an opposing view to those provided by liberal politicians who focus on the firearm as a means to enact more gun control on law abiding citizens in the USA, e.g.,: “Is everyone ready to have the conversation now? Because this is what people actually talk about. Not the BS guns are violent and guns made them commit mass shooting narrative.”

Congresswoman Green cites Mr. Jack Posobiec: “37 School Shooters/School Related Violence Committed By Those Under The Influence Of Psychiatric Drugs. Cchrint.org/school-shooter.

Clearly, this revelation gives rise to psychiatric drugs as being a contributing factor or leading cause as to why an individual commits a mass shooting incident. Scientific studies have proven, the use of illegal drug types as well as the abuse of certain prescription drug classes alters the rational and mindset of an individual while their under the influence of a specific drug. Furthermore, it’s a proven fact: Illegal drug use is a leading cause of the rise in violent crimes in the USA.

Notwithstanding, over-the-years and in the USA, illegal drug use as well as the abuse of prescription drugs has reached a crisis level. Drug overdose deaths, contributed to both legally prescribed drugs as well as illegal drug use directly contribute to a gloomy death rate statistic of members of our general populous, especially among the younger generation. Prescription drug abuse as well as Fentanyl, opioid, cocaine, and meth addiction are the largest contributing factors to drug overdose deaths in the USA.

USA’s WAR ON DRUGS

The War on Drugs is rapidly becoming a dismal failure among Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement; instead of a hoped for success story. Annually, the USA spends billions of dollars on the war on drugs and it appears their losing the battle. There’s and number of reasons for this analogy: Inherently, our judicial system is to slow and to long-term and inundated with appeal processes to incarcerate offenders in the penal system, especially the larger illegal drug dealers.

The D.C. Democratic Politicians open border policies provides the drug smugglers with a perfect opportunity to flood the USA market with illegal drugs. Notwithstanding, open border policies not only bring dangerous illegal drugs into the USA, especially fentanyl, opioids, cocaine, phencyclidine hydrochloride, and meth it also affords smugglers the opportunity to bring marijuana, illegal aliens, human trafficking, crime, terrorists, and violent gang members, as well.

It’s long been known Democratic Politicians desire to bring illegal aliens into this country is for one reason, and one reason only: Democrats want a new voting base for the Democratic Party and their concern for the USA and its citizens is non existent. Lastly, this illegal activity also places a strain on the welfare system in the USA.

FACTS ABOUT MARIJUANA USE

In a FOX News report the author outlines a myriad dangers to Marijuana use. According to the article: “people who used cannabis visited emergency rooms or were hospitalized 22% more often than those who did not use cannabis, according to a recent study published in the BMJ Open Respiratory Research. To read the entire article, click on the following link:

https://www.foxnews.com/health/cannabis-users-risk-emergency-inpatient-care

In a Harvard study they found: Cognitive effects in midlife of long-term cannabis use. As of June 2022, 37 US states have passed medical cannabis laws and 19 states have legalized recreational cannabis. Cannabis has proven beneficial for a range of conditions such as childhood seizure disorders, nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite in people with HIV/AIDs.

In the meantime, a new generation of cannabis products has exploded onto the scene, driven by marketing that fuels a multibillion-dollar industry. The average content of THC (tetra-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, the psychoactive and potentially addictive chemical in cannabis) in smoked whole-plant products has risen from 1% to 4% in the 1970s to 15% to 30% from today’s cannabis dispensaries. Edibles and vapes may contain even higher concentrations of THC.

New research on cannabis use and cognition in midlife

Recent research published in The American Journal of Psychiatry closely followed nearly 1,000 individuals in New Zealand from age 3 to age 45 to understand the impact of cannabis use on brain function. The research team discovered that individuals who used cannabis long-term (for several years or more) and heavily (at least weekly, though a majority in their study used more than four times a week) exhibited impairments across several domains of cognition.

Long-term cannabis users’ IQs declined by 5.5 points on average from childhood, and there were deficits in learning and processing speed compared to people that did not use cannabis. The more frequently an individual used cannabis, the greater the resulting cognitive impairment, suggesting a potential causative link. To read the article, click on the following link:

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/cognitive-effects-of-long-term-cannabis-use-in-midlife-202206142760

However, what the articles omit are the facts: Marijuana is fat soluble drug that’s stored in the fatty tissues of the brain. The more an individual uses the drug the more tetra hydra cannabinol (THC) is stored. Therefore, unlike other drugs requiring an increase dose to maintain the desired effect; marijuana requires a less daily dose of the drug. Due to its fat storing qualities, the user is essentially always under the influence of the drug with regular marijuana use. Thereby, damaging brain cells and altering the users thought processes, providing motor skill impairment as well as cognitive decline, hallucinations, and paranoia.

Again, like the open-border crisis, whose at fault for allowing an expansion of drug use in the USA, for the sake of making tax revenue? Politicians! In retrospect, the last time the government became involved in trying to reduce Heroin addiction in the USA was when they opened free Methadone clinics to provide a free Heroin substitute. In the end, the government program created more addicts.

Throughout history, a direct correlation has been established, between drug addiction and use, with violent crime in the USA. Consequently, illegal drug use and addiction remains a dark side of societal issues in this country. One relative fact: Illegal Drug use and the abuse of Legally Prescribed Prescription Drugs should be included in the “Root Cause Analysis” of mass shooters to determine whether or not a drug induced psychosis is the reason mass shootings happen.

“Until Next Time, Keep Em Between The Bridle!”