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When autopsy results came back on a 16-year-old Orinda boy who died at a house party where teenagers had been drinking, two findings took investigators by surprise.
Joseph Loudon's blood-alcohol level was only 0.03 percent, which was low considering reports that hard liquor seemed to be in ample supply at the May 23 party, held at the home of a friend who lived on the same street as Joseph's mother. A 0.08 percent level constitutes drunken driving.
And his body showed high levels of papaverine, a prescription medication commonly used to treat erectile dysfunction.
That led to the natural question: Why was a 16-year-old boy using a drug typically prescribed for impotent middle-aged men?
It's not known whether Joseph was using the drug recreationally, whether someone slipped it to him in a drink, or whether there is another explanation. Combined, the erectile drug and the alcohol caused Joseph to throw up, and he choked on his vomit, the Contra Costa County coroner found.
Hopefully the senselessness of the tragedy forms a lesson that helps some others avoid such a tragedy.
Alcohol is a bore, albeit a well-understood means of altering body chemistry. Getting experimental with medications like that moves beyond boredom into the realm of the stupid, occasionally reaching the suicidal.
Just say yest to means of having fun that are morally, mentally, physically, and spiritually healthy, as well as productive. The number of those is around a bazillion.
You know, I've always enjoyed the teetotal life - I still remember the crazy party the morning after. And being happily married, I never spend that morning trying to figure out who the girl is.
ReplyDeleteYeeeesh. A couple years ago, I encountered a story about date-rape situation involving teenagers in which some 17-year-old dude was using Viagra "recreationally." The entire concept boggled my mind because when I was 17, an antidote to Viagra might have been more useful.
ReplyDeleteHowever, in talking to friends who are high-school teachers, etc., I discovered that "recreational" use of Viagra by teens is shockingly less rare than one might imagine. Another road sign on the road to the apocalypse . . .
I am with Free-range. I have never understood the whole 'get so drunk I puke all over myself and have no idea what an idiot I made of myself the night before' deal.
ReplyDeleteCall me a prude, call me whatever you want, but I don't think settling the Gates issue "over a beer" sets a great example for our youth who so revere our "hip" President. Have them to the White House for a Coke (oops, sorry about that Barack), okay a Pepsi or even a ginger ale but why do we always have to settle differences over alcohol.
As far as the Viagra usage, I think in general today's youth are abusing prescription drugs at almost as high a rate as they do alcohol. My young cousin talks of eating Skittles at parties like we aren't bright enough to figure out what that really means. They fill bowls with all kinds of pills and pop them like candy. This is where our country is headed...
It's disturbing, but kids today just are not as street smart as we would hope. Parents have to do a better job explaining to kids that leaving a drink unattended is a bad idea and that a girl should leave their handbag unattended in a public place. These concepts should be basic, but yet young people don't understand the basics.
ReplyDeleteWhy did he choke on his vomit? Was he incapacitated in some way?
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