Sheep, Drugs, And Stock Control: Dumped Cannabis Stash Sets Sheep On Rampage In Swansea, FDA Approves Revolutionary Drug Addiction Treatment
Today’s world is a series of staggering contrasts. In the same week that the FDA approves a ground-breaking implant for opioid drug addiction treatment, a grass-loving flock of sheep from the Welsh village of Swansea discovered a dumped cannabis stash and went on a rampage through Swansea village. The cannabis had been dumped beside a road near the flock’s grazing paddocks, and the sheep – high on marijuana – went on a psychotic rampage through the sleepy town.
The sheep went from grazed to blazed, and – far from “greening out” – wandered into Rhydypandy in the Swansea valley. Cannabis, which is principally known to act as a muscle and mind relaxant, can cause hallucinations and serious health complications for animals. Lucky for these Swansea stoners, the worst of their weed fueled mischief was wreaking havoc in Welsh cottages in the area. One cannabis sheep made itself at home in a farmer’s bungalow and made a mess in the bedroom and another raided someone’s kitchen with a serious case of the munchies.
Swansea city Councillor Ioan Richard told The Telegraph that the flock, which had just ingested as much weed food as a college student eating hash brownies in Amsterdam, were roaming the village on a cannabis high and causing nuisance.
“They are getting in people’s gardens and one even entered a bungalow and left a mess in the bedroom,” Richard told The Telegraph.
“We could have an outbreak of psychotic sheep rampaging through the village.”
A spokesperson for Swansea Council said the remains of the dumped cannabis stash had been removed: as for the stoned sheep, they may take days to come down from their weed and wonderful high.
In other drug-related news, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (the FDA) gave ground-breaking blessing to a new drug addiction treatment. People suffering from opioid dependence may soon be able to obtain a Probuphine implant to treat their addiction.
Engadget explains that opioid addiction is a serious problem in today’s world since it isn’t only recreational, illegal drugs containing opioids that people come into contact with.
“Opioid dependence is a huge problem today, especially since opioids encompass not just illegal substances like heroin, but also legal pain killers, such as those prescribed after surgery,” said Engadget.“Probuphine was designed to release small doses of buprenorphine – a medication used to combat addiction to opioids – for six months to reduce withdrawal symptoms.”
Braeburn Pharmaceuticals, who announced that Probuphine had passed through a successful phase three of testing last week, will need to train doctors to perform the surgery to implant the matchstick-sized drug addiction treatment before it is available nationwide. A company spokesperson for Braeburn CEO, Behshad Sheldon, told Engadget that costs are being kept as low as possible.
“The Wholesale Acquisition Cost (WAC) for Probuphine is $825/month; for apples to apples comparison, WAC for Vivitrol is $1309/month. Please note that it’s not wholesalers though who receive Probuphine; it’s doctors,” Sheldon told Engadget.
Probuphine is expected to be available in June, and FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf said that it can’t come soon enough for Americans affected by addiction, be it cannabis or opioids.
“Opioid abuse and addiction have taken a devastating toll on American families. We must do everything we can to make new, innovative treatment options available that can help patients regain control over their lives,” said Califf, in a statement released by the FDA yesterday.”
“Today’s approval provides the first-ever implantable option to support patients’ efforts to maintain treatment as part of their overall recovery program.”
As for the stoned sheep, still recovering from their impromptu Cannabis Cup whereby a dumped cannabis stash set the sheep on a rampage in Swansea, a little rest and relaxation should do the trick. The cannabis has been removed from the area and the psychotic sheep deterred from their messy marijuana meandering: the FDA, having approved a ground-breaking implant for opioid drug addiction treatment, will handle the rest.
[Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images]
