Life expectancy dropping since 2014

Our behavior is showing up in our health statistics as well as our homes.

"Between 1959 and 2016, US life expectancy increased from 69.9 years to 78.9 years but declined for 3 consecutive years after 2014. The recent decrease in US life expectancy culminated a period of increasing cause-specific mortality among adults aged 25 to 64 years that began in the 1990s, ultimately producing an increase in all-cause mortality that began in 2010. During 2010-2017, midlife all-cause mortality rates increased from 328.5 deaths/100 000 to 348.2 deaths/100 000. By 2014, midlife mortality was increasing across all racial groups, caused by drug overdoses, alcohol abuse, suicides, and a diverse list of organ system diseases. The largest relative increases in midlife mortality rates occurred in New England (New Hampshire, 23.3%; Maine, 20.7%; Vermont, 19.9%) and the Ohio Valley (West Virginia, 23.0%; Ohio, 21.6%; Indiana, 14.8%; Kentucky, 14.7%). The increase in midlife mortality during 2010-2017 was associated with an estimated 33 307 excess US deaths, 32.8% of which occurred in 4 Ohio Valley states."  https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2756187?

Americans can't smoke, over eat, have multiple sex partners, sooth the soul with alcohol and become a zombie with drugs and not have it show up in a study down the road. Although the numbers ticked up 2010-2017, the behavior began much before that--the 1980's-1990s.

And that Ohio Valley information in the study--straight up from Mexico—black tar heroin.  Read “Dreamland; the true tale of America's Opioid Epidemic” by Sam Quinones. He was a speaker at Lakeside, I think in 2018.  The stories of young men in Mexico, independent of the drug cartels, in search of their own American Dream via the fast and enormous profits of trafficking cheap black-tar heroin to America’s rural and suburban addicts combined with Big Pharma.  https://nihrecord.nih.gov/2018/05/18/author-recounts-how-opioids-took-hold-america

Why would we change the Ohio Constitution to improve drug sentencing and treatment?

The 2018 Ohio Neighborhood Safety, Drug Treatment, and Rehabilitation Amendment is a ballot initiative aiming to change Ohio’s constitution to achieve four goals:

(1) change drug possession felonies to misdemeanors,

(2) prohibit prison sentences for technical probation violations,

(3) expand the ability to earn up to 25% off a prison sentence through rehabilitative programming, and

(4) redirect funds saved from reduced incarceration to drug treatment and victims’ services.

Although it is easier to amend a state constitution than the federal, this definitely sounds like something that should be done by legislation and the court system, not by changing the constitution, especially the part that goes around prison sentencing, and part 3 about reducing the sentence with rehab programing. What an invitation for a cottage industry of poorly thought out programs, millions in grant money to be frittered away.

I attended the programming this summer at Lakeside (and read Quinones’ book, Dreamland: True Tale of America’s Opioid Epidemic) on the drug problems in Ohio. In the 70s and 80s we were active in a prison reform group and a teen rehabilitation program. I can see nothing in this proposed amendment that actually speaks to the problem of improper sentencing, nor which will reduce or redirect funding or reduce deaths.

https://ballotpedia.org/Amending_state_constitutions

http://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/constitution-amend-with-care.aspx

https://www.lsc.ohio.gov/documents/reference/current/guidebook/chapter1.pdf

https://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-heard/archives/2018/08/23/proposed-ohio-constitutional-amendment-backed-by-facebook-founders-would-reform-sentencing-for-nonviolent-low-level-drug-offenders

Dreamland

Reading "Dreamland; the true tale of America's opiate Epidemic" by Sam Quinones. I recommend it. A perfect storm of Mexican drug dealers, pill mills, and pharmaceutical companies in high gear to combat pain, and how it all came together in Ohio. If we think making marijuana legal is a good idea, we need to rethink because it is "legal" drugs that have enslaved us. This book (2015) is now dated but updated daily in the news; the explanation of how the Mexican drug cartel works is happening before our eyes and now includes fentanyl as well as black tar heroin.

Wellness seminar in Lakeside on nutrition

Actually, I wrote that yesterday.  This morning we’re going to the Idlewyld Bed and Breakfast www.idlewyldbb.com  owned by Dan and Joan Barris at 350 Walnut.  Best breakfast in town.  First I walked 2 miles along the Lakefront in the glorious sunshine.  Life is tough.

Today’s programing is on sustainability.  I’ve been hearing that, or a version of it, for 40 years, but I might stop in to hear the one on Lake Erie.  Tomorrow there is a seminar on Listening and the art of paying attention by a “geriatric life enhancement consultant.”  I could do that—I’m old and I don’t pay attention!

Also tomorrow afternoon is a book review by my friend Nancy Long on “Dreamland: the true tale of America’s Opioid Epidemic (Sam Quinones) at the Lakeside Women’s Club. Her birthday was this week and we went out for lunch at the Bluebird restaurant. www.bluebirdatlakeside.com I had the “Italian Lover” panini, which is fresh pesto, tender chicken, tomato, and provolone cheese with a side of fresh veggies.  Nancy had the “Rockin’ Robin” salad which was strawberries, crimbld goat cheese, roasted sweet potatoes, toasted nut-medley on baby spinach with maple-balsamic reduction.
Sometimes on Friday afternoon I attend the World Affairs program (it’s call dialogue, but you know how Lakesiders are).