Yep you mess with that stuff, you're bound to get burn sooner or later.

Probably another product of failed parenting, destined for the human trash heap.

It's kind of sad that he didn't get the hint that you shouldn't be doing drugs or associate yourself with people who use or sell them, after he was lit on fire over drugs as a kid. I don't get it.

Those who burned that kid should have to pay restitution and do serious jail time. Perhaps in prison, the inmates will show them how it feels to be bullied. I suppose that meth and crack do change the brain and it cannot be repaired. We as a society should stop trying to rehabilitate those who have used mind altering narcotics and just imprison them with utmost longevity. Cull them from society...

@ vdtexas - Couldn't agree more. In fact isn't this what gets most people in trouble? You do wrong at some point you will pay.

Kim - kinda hard to learn any lessons when he was treated like a celebrity, dont you think?

Of course, if drugs were legalized...he could be as legit as any beer rep, manufacturer or producer is.

But it's not, so yeah...he'll have to "play with fire" in order to keep doing, probably, the only thing he knows how to do...and might be good at.

Can you imagine demonizing every single person who makes a living by selling/distributing/producing alcohol like we do with people who sell, produce or manufacture drugs?

I was really interested to see all the love for this 18 yr old boy. See all of you real Christians in church Sunday. Oh wait a minute these comments aren't by Christians but by people who want Shara Law in the US. You do know that in the Old Testament they stoned people for things like this.

This kid looks like the young punk from the TV series Breaking Bad. He should have left his pipe and ice meth at the Chemistery teachers house.......

Wow Tracontech. I'm speechless. Any person who has had a problem with drugs/alcohol should be locked away? LMAO Ridiculous! It's a MEDICALLY proven disease, just like diabetes or hypertension. Addicts deserve a 2nd chance. granted not all WANT a second chance, and then life just has a way of happening. I have met many recovering addicts/alcoholics who are highly educated, responsible, open-minded members of society. Sadly, I can't say the same thing about you....

I'm sickened over your statement...

RachelinGa The medical condition excuse pisses me off to no end. I disagree with Tracontech, but I down right hate what you imply. The "Medical Condition" excuse is a steep cliff to a bad place. It takes blame away from the addict which is where the blame should be. Not to mention druggies are already using the "medical condition" excuse to get on welfare. Tracontech's theory is very narrow minded, but lets not make excuses when someone decides to let thier demons control thier lives.

fire that ass up again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fla..............again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's not unusual for people that have suffered severe trauma to become addicted to drugs.

Lighten up some of you.

The fact that he was buy stuff back then makes you wonder. He may have been using all along.

@allislost

You know, some of us have that same opinion toward obesity.

What a repulsive ass. Stake him to the ground and BURN. Florida is full of sh*tty white trash, and the fewer of them, the better.

Man, let's reinstitute the Spanish Inquisition and start burning these heretics. Man, so much garbage coming from so many who would probably state emphatically that they're church-going Christians. People wonder why our country is in the trouble it's in? Start by looking in your own mirror and the anger, lack of empathy for others, lack of compassion for others.

@ allislost : the fact is that is it a medical condition with a formal diagnosis. I am sorry that you feel that EVERYONE uses it as an excuse, but not all addicts do. As a recovering alcoholic myself, I can say that I didn't ALLOW my demons to control me. Once I start drinking, all bets are off. That's not to say that I am not responsible for the decisions I make under the influence, because I am. However, that doesn't mean that I don't deserve a 2nd chance if I don't take the steps to become a better person, righting the wrongs I had caused in addiction (when possible), and living life as a responsible adult.

I can't speak for those people who choose to use their addictions as a excuse to suck off the government's teet, because I will never be that person or agree with their thought process. I didn't get sober to do nothing with my life...

Rachel, addiction is a CHOICE, not a disease. No one forces them to use the product, whatever it is. Only THEY make the decision to. If alcoholism/drug addiction runs in your family, and you misuse those products, that is YOUR FAULT and no one elses.

I commend you on quitting drinking. That takes a lot of courage. I commend all those who have risen above their addictions to make their lives worthwhile.

You would think that near death experience would be enough of a sign to stop any and all ties to drug use. He is a complete moron and deserves everything he gets.

Let he who is without Sin cast the first stone. Oh sorry you guys aren't Christians guess I'm in the wrong country.

I see Jesus was put in prison... Everyone finds Jesus in Prison

Actually the fact that he experienced trauma makes him higher risk to become addicted to drugs.

It's dropping as we speak.

Probably the same stuff the kid was smoking, snorting, shooting up, eating, etc.

Probably really pissed that his source got busted!

by 'not that serious' he probably just means that the kid isn't facing any intent to distribute charges, just simple posession. likely no jail time involved.

Why because an 18 year old has pimples? He is the healthiest looking meth-head I ever seen.

I was going to suggest meth too. Those aren't pimples, it's where he is picking at his face.

Yep, pretty pale complexion for living in Fla.

Hmm...not sure I see a face of meth here. I thought meth scabs were larger and accompanied by scratches. The paleness is curious though. I doubt this kid is concerned enough about skin damage/ cancer to wear the appropriate SPF.

@SOOP

Yep, pretty pale complexion for living in Fla.

Um, are you in the Northern hemisphere? Because here it is the end of winter. It isn't possible to tan naturally in winter. It has nothing to do with sun exposure, but the angle and intensity of the sun.

Different? Well that's puberty for ya. I looked similar at that age, minus the haircut.

I mentioned that on another article and got nothing but crickets. I think that story is really confusing for NBC. They only see guns as a means to kill others in cold blood. When you throw in self-defense it kind of shuts down their brains and they have to resort to the interns for news.

Interesting that they didn't pick up on the Texas homeowner that used his firearms to fend off a couple of OK teens trying a home invasion. MSNBC??????

Wait, don't these incidents happen all the time? I mean according to the NRA there are 500,000 such self defense incidents a year? So really you answered your own question. You can't have it both ways. Oh wait, I am talking to a right wing gun nut, I forgot, sorry! You are the ones who want to compare guns to autos but when we tell you that should then mean licensing, insuring and registering guns you get all panicky and start talking about slippery slopes! LOL!

This kid made the news in recent times for being set on fire thus he is in the news again. Otherwise it's just another random drug bust and no one hears about it.

Oh, and it's pretty obvious you both are trolling...get on back over the hill to FoxNews where you belong...

That's why I call it, "BSNBC."

Look at the drop in vehicle deaths, it does show if you increase the cost of gas less people die. I imagine is we looked deeper we would also see an increase in people getting killed while walking or riding a bike since more were doing so after gas prices started rising. Limiting access to guns will not stop people from being killed just change how they are killed. Look at Britian they took away guns and gun viloence is almost nil, yet other types of crimes have increased to compensate in some areas they increased more then the dip in gun related crimes.

@voxrationis

Actually, they DO happen all the time, but you never hear about them due to a specific bias.

And I'll attempt to educate you one more time.

Driving is a privilege granted, denied or revoked by the state. It is NOT a Constitutional right. There really is a very distinct difference even you should be able to comprehend.

I noticed that too, no mention of it. I live in Oklahoma and it's barely being reported on as well; strange since one of them stole his parents, truck, prescription meds, guns and 1500 -2000 rounds of ammo. Sounds to me like they were both headed for trouble. I feel sorry for their families but thank God that the homeowners in Texas did the right thing by defending their property.

What does taking pain medication (opiate class) 4 years ago have to do with cocaine and marijuana in the present?!? A 15 year old can't sustain an addiction to pills and heroin for years unless his parents are paying and even if he did, I guess he decided to move on to coke.

I've heard SO many addicts try to place the blame on their doctors for their addiction. Sorry, but if you had taken it as prescribed, you wouldn't have become addicted and even if you did, it is your own fault for not getting help. It is a cop-out to blame doctors and not take responsibility for yourself.

AnOz,

It's actually very easy for a teen to become addicted to prescription drugs. You should look up addictions to pain medications. It's very common for a young athlete to be addicted to them. Just so you know I spent twenty years playing sports. Had a full ride to college for baseball. I wrote a thesis on the effects of prescription pain killers with college athletes. I interviewed thousands of young players about their use/addiction to hydrocodone or percocet. Most all of the athletes were given prescriptions by the team doctor and medication paid for by the program. All of that because they didn't want to miss their opportunity to make it to the next level.

I chose that topic because at the age of 16 I tore every ligament in one of my knees. I had a complete knee reconstruction, and was prescribed percocet for the pain. I took one pill and I couldn't stand the way it made me feel and never took it again. I had buddies ask if they could buy it from me so they could play without all the pain. Over 17 years later I still have a full bottle of percocet. The top has been super glued, and keep it as a reminder to stay away from drugs. Many of those buddies have been in and out of jail because of drugs. One was picked up for trying to rob a pharmacy, and another was convicted on possession with intent to distribute. Sure there are some that were addicted and sought help, but the vast majority are still on drugs and talk about getting help, but never do. They fall into a cycle that they can't get out of.

Dawgfan, I smoked pot for 18 yrs and was on painkillers (and later heroin) for 9 of those years. I am 2 yrs into Suboxone treatment to get clean and still function in the process. I know all too well how it happens. I go to NA with people that love to blame their doctors to avoid taking personal responsibility. When you take medications as directed for short-term pain, you can't become addicted. You said you loathed taking the pain medication...many people do. Addiction starts when you begin taking the drug for pleasure. Can your doctor monitor you every day or every week for addiction? Would you pay for those frequent visits? Did you tell the doctor you enjoyed taking them? These are questions I ask when someone blames their doctor. I hate how people try to blame their doctor just because he tried to keep them out of pain. The fact is, most of those people weren't totally honest with their doctor. I am sure if those people even hinted they enjoyed taking it, were taking more, think they are addicted, or are no longer in pain the doctor would have stopped prescribing it.

@Dawgfan, my son had the same reaction to vicodin. He had his ACL replaced after a football injury. He took the pills for one day and asked me for my ibuprofen instead. He said he just didn't like the feeling. I still have the bottle of pills in my drawer. Been there since 2009.

AnOz,

I applaud your willingness and openess to take responsibility and quit an addiction. I know most common folk try to blame others for their addiction, and it's not just pain killers. It's adderall, xanax, and other anti-depressents. Those doctors should know their patient is dependant on that drug to just have a daily function, yet the doctors many times do nothing or prescribe a higher dose or some other alternative drug which does nothing for the addiction.

Cheers to your continued sobriety.

@Realistic woman:

That is because everyone is allergic to opiates in some form or another. This is because opium is a natural pesticide secreted by the poppy when it is punctured. When I first started using, I got nauseous and itched, but you get over it after a week or two. If you are going to be in pain a while, you have to trade the relief for the side effects.

AnOzOfTruth-(Sorry, but if you had taken it as prescribed, you wouldn't have become addicted)

Having worked in emergency medicine, I can tell you, the problem is your body develops a tolerance to the level of pain medication you are taking on a regular basis, no matter what that is. Eventually, it does require taking more to get the same effect.This is commonly recognized for opiates. And while this young man was burned in 2009, his complete recovery didn't take place that year, but would have extended for at least several years. And he probably still wears pressure bandages to this very day. Since he was only 14 at the time,it would have taken the body much longer to heal as he is still growing at 18 years of age.Even then, there is still pain to live with for most burn victims with this much damage,and it is sometimes years later before it goes away that most people don't realize.Which is why some become addicted to medications trying to get through their days, working to hold down a job.People just don't get how much agony it can be to live this kind of life.

As for the drugs found in his vehicle, prescription, marijuana and crack cocaine, while it doesn't mention what the pills were, marijuana is known to help with pain, allowed in many states for medicinal purposes, and there is a huge campaign going on for legalization in Florida right up to today.He also chose crack cocaine which floods the body with endorphins, while still being illegal.

I have known quite a few burn victims in my line of work, and it is the worst, most horrible trauma a human body can go through. Especially for children who must endure growing up with scarred tissue being stretch.Surgeries required in certain cases for joints to move properly.

There is no doubt in my mind he has some emotional scarring that is making him vulnerable, in addition to his physical scars, for heading down some low roads in life.This young man needs to get support to help him get his life on track and stay there.I sure hope there is someone who can take him under their wing and be a good mentor, provide him with what he needs to have a more positive future. After the rough road he has already traveled.

@Dawgfan

There are people that are on pain medication that become dependent on pain medication after taking it for long-term (> month) and not enjoying it. However, there is a distinction between addiction and physical/chemical dependance. A dependent person doesn't realize the problem until they are suddenly without the drug. They can go to their doctor and tell them the problem and get help or at least referred to someone that will help. To not help is malpractice. In fact, someone that is in opioid withdraw can walk into an ER and get short-term relief for that interim period between primary doctor and appointment with addiction specialist/anesthesiologist. I can't really blame a primary doctor for addiction unless you told them you were an addict and they kept feeding them to you. Primary doctors aren't equipped to monitor for addiction and don't have the time. That is why there are pain management clinics run by anesthesiologists (who pay 6-figure insurance annually) to treat and monitor your pain and addiction status. They take the risk of something happening to you. I don't know about where you live, but where I live, you have to visit monthly or less and sign contracts, provide urine samples, etc to go to pain management by law.

@Windancer

I know all about tolerance to opiates. If he was on pain killers that long, he would have had to go to pain management....BUT, Florida is NOTORIOUS for it's scrupulous PM clinics. I know this from personal experience. Folks from my state used to drive there to procure their drugs from greedy, foreign doctors. In THOSE CASES, you can blame the "doctor". I use that term lightly....Perhaps I should have said, "you can't blame a REAL doctor"

BUT, Florida is NOTORIOUS for it's scrupulous PM clinics.

Obviously, I meant to say "unscrupulous"

Brewer is 18. Had a drug history before the burning. It may have only been pot, left unclear, but has slipped by using crack. He is a stupid kid, but a kid none the less. His parents are probably idiots too. To write him off as many posters have shows an intolerance to a huge problem facing Our Nation and the World today. Drug classifications including Pot as a Schedule One Federally shows the flawed weighting system still intact regarding penalties at Federal Level, while pot is now legal in two states and decriminalized in several others. The crack cocaine is another story, and with all the crap he got caught with, it wasn't his first use/bad timing scenario.

Our Drug Law Classification is a farce, and it one which ruins many lives forever, keeps the Prison System engorged with nonviolent occupants, and cost taxpayers Billion$ every year. And with the Dumbing Down of America, it is only going to get worse, much worse. And the Big Pharm Companies cannot stop pumping out the addicting drugs faster than they can be legally prescribed. Great.

There are usually pretrial interventions for first time drug arrests which mandate drug counciling and treatment, which Brewer will probably have to choose. I wish him the best, but wouldn't bet a dime on his staying clean after his probation and intervention.

The crack is not going away, evil as it is, and preventative enforcement that stops the distribution before it hits the streets has never and will never be sufficient or effective.

The Drug War is just another huge waste of resources, especially Our Tax Dollars, but 'Wars' allow for the cops to continue to bolster their Weapons Lethality(?) while never solving one of consequence, rather, allowing the LEOs to be better armed for 'War'.

Sheesh. WTF ever happened to Individual Rights and Freedoms? Alcohol, no problem. Weed? You are screwed. Crack?? Forgetaboutit!!

Peace

As a person that has been experiencing an increasing level of pain for the last 10 years due to several medical problems, I think most people who haven't experienced severe pain lasting for weeks or months, or long term chronic pain, have any idea just how debilitating it is. I related to a prior post, I don't like the feeling I get when on painkillers and so don't use any. But pain takes its toll. I'm tired all the time and while I try to keep a good frame of mind, know that I have depression linked to the constant pain. I rarely want to get out or visit with friends because of it. The only drug I give in to is Ambien so that I can sleep, otherwise I might sleep 2 hours a night. What I'm trying to say is that I relate to the kid. With the extent of his burns, not only did he go through a long period of intense pain related to the burns and the skin-graft surgeries. I suspect he continues to have pain related to all of these due to damaged nerves in his body. I'm not saying I condone his current behavior and wish he'd learned his lesson originally but I'm not going to automatically condemn him as a "POS" or any negative thing like I'm seeing here. We hear the media's side of the story as they have written it up, but we have not heard the boy's side of the story. He's being judged guilty assuming he's just a weak person turning to recreational drugs.

anozoftruth How do you know what a family of stoners looks like? All you have to do is look at your family to see what stoners look like.

Close. Not my family. However, I have had loads of contact with similar families over the last couple of decades. You could probably ascertain that if you read my other comment, #10.3. When you use drugs for a long time, you gain this incredible superpower that gives you the keen observational skill of telling when other people are high and which drug they are using.

anozoftruth: Suboxzone is only supposed to be used for 6 months. Now you will need treatment to get of of the suboxzone. 2years of suboxone use make you a suboxzone junkie. Maybe ya need to find a new doc!

@tmpinsanity

That's what they say about benzos and sleeping medication, yet I know people that really can't function without it. As for suboxone, it's really up to the doctor and depends on the extent of your habit. For a typical Lortab habit, 6 mths with an initial daily dose of around 8mg would probably be appropriate. The weaning schedule isn't going to be the same for everyone. The last phase involves cutting 2mg strips into small sections, placing the dosage in micrograms and I have been assured from the doctor and others that the withdraw would be negligible (mild insomnia). For that, they prescribe clonidine for a few weeks afterwards.

Legal meth, heroin..etc., I guess they do slim down the heard. If they ever do that I will most definately make sure I have a gun to protect my belongings from all the @!$%#s who become addicted because it is legal. It would be like zombie nation, too funny.

@WeAllHaveOpinions, yeah we sure do all have our opinions, but unlike yours, some of us actually check the facts rather than just pretending we already know everything.

Several countries have experimented with legalizing drugs. What you say would happen never has. The number of drug users doesn't significantly increase at all, in fact.

While the results of those experiments weren't completely positive, two things have been consistent enough to call established fact: The number of users doesn't increase when drugs are legalized. The number of drug-related robberies (people stealing to get money to buy their drugs) actually goes DOWN, because legalized drugs cost less.

Good thing you aren't serious. We already know your history, GW, and we don't like it. Try FOX news if you don't agree with the consensus of comments here. I am not offended by the opinion of someone that thinks our country should be a narco-state.

AnOzOfTruth, I was lost from your statement, I guess I missed the picture of his family. And he is going by G.W. Busch, wrong spelling for the great presidents.

Both parents and two grandparents are in the video. They are all dressed in black and look fatigued and confused, especially the dad when he starts talking at around 3:40.

I do realize what I said is presumptuous and I do realize GW is using a different spelling, an amalgamation of GW Bush the president and Busch beer.

Looks like the kind of person the taxpayers may be paying for his entire life. Bad personal decisions have consequences. Must have had great parents.

Puberty. People are supposed to lose their "babyfat" and childish features. As for the tan, the time of year plays a role. So does the fact that on the show, he was wearing makeup, but not wearing makeup in the mugshot.

Try having over 60% of your body burned and going through all of the medical procedures and wonder what will happen to you. Spending all the time in the hospital tends to make people lose weight. Overnight? Since when is almost 4 years overnight. Obviously some people do not know how to use common sense.

Nice post best one on here.

Thank You, Brooke! I'm in SoFla as well, so also know the back story. I also wish Michael the best. It is going to be a hard future for him is my guess, though.

Peace

You got that right...or move to Alaska

Hunt him down because they really enjoyed their time in prison, and wish to return? That tells us something about our prisons. I wonder what's so wrong with making the prisoners do hard time? I know it's not a club med vacation in there, but clearly it's not bad enough to make folks want to stay away.

How about another approach? Obviously the long prison sentences are not working. Demand is at it's highest point ever. Criminalization of drugs only serves to enrich the drug lords, criminal defense attorneys, and for-profit prison owners.

He got burned because of drugs.

He didn't use drugs because of burns.