DannyBoyinExile

The various substances that are sprayed onto paper and smoked by the inmates in TDCJ are generically referred to as “Toon”. This term probably originated from the term K2. (Two became Toon.) That was a misnomer anyway, since K2 is a specific chemical, whereas toon refers to any of the things inmates smoke, in their quest to feel other than normal. (Although, admittedly, many of them are other than normal in the first place.)
Since these substances vary so much, in content as well as potency, people can never be certain exactly what they’re inhaling, or how dangerous it is, until it’s too late. Sadly, it is not at all uncommon to witness inmates having what has come to be known as “Toon Attacks”.
I can’t remember how many people I’ve seen slumped over and unable to move. Or vomiting all over themselves – as well as any unlucky bystanders. What’s even worse is when someone DEFECATES on himself, right in the middle of the dayroom – then he’s so intoxicated that he can’t even clean himself up! A crappy situation, indeed.
I’ve seen guys fall on the ground and start spasming. I’ve seen guys howling over the run like a wolf, or even commence to shrieking with laughter, like a mad scientist, unable to stop – which even I find hilarious when it happens in a public place, such as the chow hall. And let’s not forget the poor guy who got so high that he fell completely off three row and landed on the concrete two floors below. What they all have in common (besides being morons, that is) is that they were all having toon attacks.
Ironically, the guy who fell over the run landed right in front of 18 cell on one row. He spent the next few months in the hospital, and when he returned – they put him in the same cell that he landed in front of! If he has another toon attack, at least he won’t have as far to fall.
This phenomenon is especially troubling for the administration, because there wasn’t much they could do about it. All they could do was transport the inmate to medical, check his vitals, and release him. I can’t remember how many guys I’ve seen get taken to medical on a gurney, obviously having a toon attack – and an hour or so later they are right back on the wing, sleeping it off. (Or maybe even working on the next one!)
The problem is, most of these chemicals won’t show up on a standard drug test. They can pee in a cup, but toon simply won’t show up, unless it was laced with an opiate such as fentanyl.
Things may change now, because of a new TDCJ policy, which I call the War On Toon Attacks. Even though toon won’t cause a positive test result, the Administration has enacted a new disciplinary rule to deal with it. Now, any time an inmate is taken to medical because of a toon attack – or even if one is witnessed by the staff – he or she will be written a disciplinary case and punished because of it.
Die-hard smokers will probably continue to do so, regardless of a case. But hopefully SOME of them will be concerned with losing things such as parole, good time, contact visits or commissary, and find it a deterrent. Only time will tell what changes this will bring about – but at least TDCJ is trying to find a way to address the problem.
As for me, the smartest thing I ever did was to stop using drugs. Now I’ve changed my whole situation for the better. Not only does that benefit me here – it also eliminates the main thing that BRINGS so many people here in the first place, and I’d encourage anyone to do the same thing. And if I can’t prevent someone else from becoming the next Wynne’s Dumbest Criminal, at least I can prevent it from being me. So says DannyBoy.