Posted on Jan 19, 2016
Rising Use of Opioid Painkillers May Lead Soldiers, Vets to Heroin
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Twenty-four year-old Aaron Nowiski died alone, on his bed next to two bags of heroin.
The Army veteran, who served two tours in Iraq, had secretly been using the powerfully addictive drug, even fooling his family into the understanding that he had quit, before it claimed his life in 2011.
"I only found out because he had been arrested for drug paraphernalia," said his mother, Terry Nowiski. "He was able to hide that part of his life from us. I know he was ashamed."
While heroin overdoses and deaths continue to rise in Fayetteville and across the country, there is little evidence to suggest that veterans in this city are becoming addicted to the drug at a higher rate than civilians.
But the risk is there.
The Army veteran, who served two tours in Iraq, had secretly been using the powerfully addictive drug, even fooling his family into the understanding that he had quit, before it claimed his life in 2011.
"I only found out because he had been arrested for drug paraphernalia," said his mother, Terry Nowiski. "He was able to hide that part of his life from us. I know he was ashamed."
While heroin overdoses and deaths continue to rise in Fayetteville and across the country, there is little evidence to suggest that veterans in this city are becoming addicted to the drug at a higher rate than civilians.
But the risk is there.
Rising Use of Opioid Painkillers May Lead Soldiers, Vets to Heroin
Posted from military.comPosted in these groups: 
Drugs
Drugs
Posted 9 y ago
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Any type of pain pills will eventually lead anyone to something stronger, your bodies become immune and the pills no longer have an effect.
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PO3 Andrew Unite
Does this include Tylenol and motrin? This also varies person to person. My family has a history of dependency and addictions, however, I only had a problem with alcohol post deployment and before therapy ( roughly 6 months). I stopped on my own and for my own reasons. Pills lose their effect on me quickly and I stop taking them because of it. No drug abuse here.
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LCpl Greg Schelin
I am 100% Inupiaq Eskimo born in Alaska and December 2015 started drinking again after 19 years of being sober...I take Loratab 10, Ambian, Cyclobenzapryene and Lorazapam...
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SSG Audwin Scott
PO3 Andrew Unite - I had surgery April of last year and of course the pain pills prescribed prescription ran out so I start taking over the counter Motrin etc etc. I had to talk myself out of taking these pain pills, especially since none was helping the pain go away. I stopped because all meds have side affects. So now I take them from time to time and not everyday.
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