There’s an extraordinary luncheon platter being served, a cold turkey sandwich deluxe, on the menu at Anna’s Café in San Antonio, Texas. Withdrawal from opiates in San Antonio comes as a side dish, since you will no longer be able to buy heroin as part of the blue plate special. Officials from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration working with the San Antonio Police Department made half a dozen arrests at this eatery, and they allege that heroin has been sold at this location for almost twenty years.
The story, reported by Guillermo Contreras for Express-News.net and published on MySA.com, names six suspects arrested for participation in this drug ring, including Ernest Zapata, Sr., and Gracie Zapata, who co-managed the restaurant. Officials have also named Roland Villarreal, Samuel Tate, and ringleader Manual Rios. A sixth person was also arrested but was not named. However, Contreras reports that yet another six people were arrested six months earlier for the same crime, selling heroin out of the kitchen at Anna’s. The continued availability of heroin at this location underscores the bold, fearless attitude of heroin dealers in general and these guys in particular.
The dealers kept the H on ice at Anna’s—ain’t that nice—and were known to pass the white powder wrapped in diapers. They must have figured that no self-respecting San Antonio police officer would rip open a didie for a look without a clothes pin on his nose. Well, they were wrong.
The substance abuse professionals who help those going through withdrawal from opiates in San Antonio are not surprised by such brazenness. They come into contact every day with people who come in for help, sick and tired of the life, beaten down figuratively if not literally. These heroin dealers care nothing about the powdered white death they peddle, and they could care less whether they sell it to little old ladies or unschooled schoolboys: They’ll sell it to anyone who has a need and the ability to buy it.
Speaking of schoolboys, the gangbangers at Anna’s are finding that the heat have turned up the heat. Since Anna’s Café is located within 1,000 feet of a school, the penalty for this crime if the suspects are found guilty could be as high as 15 years in prison. The charges also include conspiracy to possess as well as intent to distribute, and so they may be looking at 20 years. With 20 representing the usual percentage for a good tip, that sounds about right.
Shame on the Suspects
Drug Enforcement Administration officials had to feel a justified sense of accomplishment after busting this group of hard-edged suspects. According to Contreras, they were moving about four pounds of heroin per month—some real high grade stuff—with a street value estimated at $400,000. The price of heroin hasn’t changed much over time, so the profit margin has been consistent. Police believe that this group has been moving drugs for 20 years, so let’s do the math. If you multiply $400,000 times 20 times 12, because there are 12 months in a year, that means their collective payday possibly has been as high as $96 million.
If the ringleader is guilty, it means he’s been keeping people hooked since Hillary Clinton still wore a headband. The people who provide treatment for withdrawal from opiates in San Antonio can only shake their heads. That kind of money could have provided opiate withdrawal treatment for tons of Texans.
Who Chooses Withdrawal from Opiates in San Antonio?
Above, we mentioned the high life—and the pun is totally intended. Anyone who’s struggling with recovery or working on withdrawal from opiates in San Antonio absolutely must develop a sense of humor. Think of the countless highs sold to this drug ring’s hapless, helpless customers. You know how it feels: How many times have you gotten high even as you wished desperately for a way to fight your way through heroin withdrawal, the worst kind of withdrawal from opiates? In San Antonio, customers of this gang—and the police report that some of them are gangbangers—don’t care that heroin is the deadliest, most addictive drug on the face of the Earth. They only care that they get their money, their jewelry, their fancy rides—whatever it is that turns them on while they sell cheap thrills to others.
Doesn’t It Make You Angry?
Just think about the brass it takes to continue an operation like that for two decades. Think about the money these folks have pulled down. Are you angry yet? Do you know anyone who has died from a heroin overdose? How many times have you cried because you thought you would die from the horrible symptoms of withdrawal from opiates? In San Antonio there are treatment programss that can help you beat it without the nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, chills, body aches, runny nose, restless legs, and other symptoms.
Many people agree that the best kind of treatment for withdrawal from opiates in San Antonio means enrolling in a methadone program. You do not have to go into some kind of residential or inpatient treatment. You do not have to suffer through withdrawal. There’s a better way.
At a licensed, certified methadone program, your treatment will start with an assessment. That means you sit down with a counselor and talk about the drugs you’ve been doing. These counselors know how to help people in withdrawal from opiates in San Antonio, and they can tell you all about the medication you’ll take and how it works.
The medication, which is recommended by the government’s Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), is much more common than you think. SAMHSA reports that up to 25 percent of all drug addiction treatment involves methadone. It will relieve your symptoms so that you can put your life back together without getting high. It not only stops your symptoms, it also puts a halt to those relentless cravings.
Once you talk with the counselor, you will see a physician who specializes in treatment of withdrawal from opiates in San Antonio. This treatment professional will get you started on the right medication dosage to fit your needs. The best methadone programs also require their clients to meet with a counselor in one-on-one or even in group sessions.
You’ll also find that attending 12-step meetings, whether or not they are required by your methadone program, can do much to strengthen your recovery. By gaining an understanding of the reasons and patterns for your use and becoming educated about drugs, you’ll become equipped to beat your addiction.
And you can make it. You can beat withdrawal from opiates in San Antonio. Is it easy? Not always. But there is a better way to live your life, and you’re about to discover it.
