Blame evolution for making it the drug it is today. As a human, whenever you do something that increases your chances of survival into the next generation of ambidextrous bipedal monkeys, your brain gives you a little hit of something wonderful as a reward.
Dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin. If you do something good, you’ll receive a reward. Run ten miles, eat something nutritious, and then fuck your wife, your toes will curl and life will be amazing.
To your brain, synthetic drugs like OxyContin and Fentanyl look like beneficial neurotransmitters. They have one end with electrons at the right place at the right time. Like a Vegas hooker making you forget you are married with three dependent children. Bad choices. Drugs are bad, mmmkay.
When you partake of these drugs, your brain says, “Screw you! I’m going home.“
Not literally. Figuratively. Cartman would be proud. Your brain stops making the chemicals that you need to survive. You will die without them.
Withdrawal is agonizing. It isn’t like in the movies; two nights of bad dreams and you are good to go. It can take years for the cravings to stop. Imagine being addicted to cheeseburgers. What would you give up for your next hit of cheeseburger? Your family? Your freedom? People don’t make their sacrifices easily. They know what awful humans they are. But, cheeseburgers!
So, what are desperate people going to do? Break into your car. Mug you in the street. Accost you on the train. Steal anything they can from you so they can sell it and buy another high, another moment to live without pain. They will die without the drugs. They will die in the streets without them.
So, what do we do? Stop the flow of Fentanyl from the southern border. Cease the legal import of maple syrup from the northern border. Pancakes and waffles are next. Were you expecting something more profound?
People suck. It doesn’t matter what they are addicted to. They suck donkeys. People suck donkeys.
—DG
Inside Doug's Head 