Trapped by heroin: Lobster industry struggles with its deadly secret

[TexasTowelie]

Until last year, when he finally kicked a 20-year heroin habit, Tristen Nelson had always been too high to even notice the best things about being a lobsterman in Down East Maine, like the beauty of a Bucks Harbor sunrise or the freedom of fishing two dozen miles offshore.

He loves those things about his job now, but for two decades the 35-year-old Machias man only lobstered to make the quick cash he needed to buy heroin. He would spend all his money, up to $60,000 for six months of work, on drugs. And he would end every fishing season broke.

His captains didn’t care if he showed up high, as long as he came ready to work. He hauled traps like a madman at dawn, fueled by his morning fix. By noon, however, the drug would start to wear off. He would slow down and hope each trap hauled was the last.

“I was just one more junkie on a lobster boat, counting down the hours until I could get my cash, until I could score,” Nelson said. “All those years I didn’t even realize that I had the best job in the world. … What a waste.”

Read more: http://www.centralmaine.com/2017/04/02/lobsterman-siege-heroin-epidemic-feeds-iconic-way-life/

[hibbing]

1. Never thougt herion was an upper

Hauled traps like a madman at dawn, I thought the drug made you nod off. Guess I'll have to do some googling.

Peace

[BigmanPigman]

2. Me too.

[Warpy]

3. It numbs you out

so you don't feel your back starting to break or how cold that water is. In fact, you don't feel much of anything.

I have a friend who described his addiction as "one day I gave it a try, then I woke up 18 years later." Sounds about the same as what happened to this guy.