Monday, June 29, 2015

Journalist Ryo Kataoka: Let's consider the negative impact on society of "Hillbilly Heroin"


 
Pain killers indeed.

Opinion piece by Japanese reporter Kataoka
[excerpts with unpolished translation]

豊田章男社長が部下を信じていようがいまいが、そんなことに世間は関心がない。トヨタ自動車の常務、ジュリー・ハンプ容疑者が6月18日に麻薬取締法違反容疑で逮捕された事件は、「田舎のヘロイン」と呼ばれる薬物自体に注目が集まるなど悪影響を生んでいる。
「ヘロインと同じ効果があるなら試す価値あり」
「ハワイにいる友達に聞いたら、中毒の一歩手前な感じになるって」

No one is interested in whether the president of Toyota believes his subordinate. But the incident in which a Toyota managing director, suspect Julie Hamp, was arrested on June 18 for alleged violations of the drug control law has already given rise to adverse effects such as focusing attention on the drug itself, sometimes called "hillbilly heroin."

"It's worth a try if it has the same effect as heroin."
"I asked a friend who is in Hawaii, and he said it feels like one more step will lead to addiction."

ネット上で散見されるのは、ハンプ容疑者が密輸した麻薬オキシコドンの錠剤についての話だ。一部で「アメリカのAmazonで普通に買える」という誤報が流されたことで、購入しようとする動きも見られた。

Here and there on the internet are discussions about the tablets of narcotic oxycodone that suspect Hamp allegedly smuggled. Some is misinformation such as "you can buy it any time on Amazon" but there is an obvious trend of people trying to buy it.

ハンプ容疑者は犯罪性を否定しているが、滞在する都内ホテルに国際便で送られた小包は、中身を「ネックレス」と記載し、おもちゃのネックレスの底に39錠もの錠剤を隠すように敷き詰め、ほかにペンダントの小箱の中など、計57錠が入ったもの。常識的に見れば、麻薬を密輸するための偽装であるようにしか見えず、そこまでして入手しようとしていたことが、なお“魅惑の薬物”に感じさせてしまっている。

Although suspect Hamp has denied having any criminal intent, the parcel sent on an international flight to her Tokyo hotel was labeled necklaces but concealed ...a total of 57 tablets. Common sense would tell anyone that the only possible interpretation is that this was a smuggling attempt, and the extreme effort made to obtain the drug gives the strong impression that Hamp was subject to "the lure of the drug."

 最近は合法の範囲で楽しめる“脱法ドラッグ”の流行で、ドラッグ愛好家が急増中。合法モノを入口に、違法な麻薬に手を出す者も後を絶たない。オキシコドンは強い痛みを抑えるために使われる医薬品で、アメリカでは広く処方されていることもあり、覚せい剤などよりずっと入手しやすい。都内のドラッグショップに聞いてみても「アングラな個人輸入業者が取り寄せを始めている」という。

Recently there has been an epidemic of drug use of "get around the law" drugs that can be enjoyed within the bounds of the law. Legal drug use at the start can lead to people seeking illegal drugs at the end. The pharmaceutical oxycodone is used to suppress severe pain and is widely prescribed in the United States, therefore it is much more accessible than stimulants. When questioned, Tokyo's drug shops say that "individual underground importers are stocking up."


...危ないのは、粉末状にして吸ったり、水に溶かして注射すると覚せい剤と似たような感覚に陥るらしく、常用すると病みつきになってしまうと、海外でも注意が呼びかけられています」(前出ドラッグショップ関係者)

"It is dangerous to inhale the powder that gives a sensation similar to injected stimulants, it becomes addictive when used regularly, and there is much attention on it overseas "(drug shop owner)

実際、アメリカではオキシコドン中毒者向けの緩和サプリメントが売られているほど。入について「ヒザの痛みを和らげるため」と供述したハンプ容疑者だが、麻薬的な目的がなかったにしても、この薬の乱用で、すでにオキシコドン依存になっている可能性はあるわけだ。

Oxy addiction relief supplements are actually even being sold in the US, things are so bad. Suspect Hamp said that she got the pills for pain in her knees, but even if she did not have any drug purpose, there is a possibility that the has already become dependent on the drug because she has it without a prescription.

 トヨタはこの女性役員の登用が人事の目玉だったため火消しに躍起。今後は強力な弁護士を立てて犯罪性のなさを主張することが予測されているが、覚せい剤まがいの薬物に関心を高めさせた社会への悪影響も見てコメントすべきだろう。

Toyota's centerpiece of human resources policy was the appointment of this female officer, and now they are eager to put out the fire. Going forward, we can expect a powerful lawyer to defend her, claiming Hamp did not commit a criminal act. But we should also engage in discourse about the adverse social impact of new attention being drawn to a drug that is called "hillbilly heroin."

Kataoka Ryo

Question: Why did Toyota allow the hiring of someone whose alleged acts have raised awareness in Japan of the lure of a drug that could kill many people, like it does in the US, and could harm countless others?