In this area, things are changing with the fight against drug addiction.
It’s no longer a hidden evil nobody wants to talk about. In fact, it seems on some days everyone is talking about it. The disease that is addiction is in the spotlight and it must remain there to keep the focus and affect a change.
There was a time when families were embarrassed to speak publicly about their loved ones dying from drug overdoses or facing drug addiction. While some may remain reluctant, there is now willingness and a purpose behind many people coming forward and sharing their stories.
That was evident this week on Tuesday when non-profit organization Growing Hope, with the support of several sponsors, including this publication, hosted an event called “Be A Part Of The Solution,” featuring guest speakers Brandon Novak, a professional skateboarder and actor who fought heroin addiction for 21 years before getting clean, and Michael DeLeon, a former addict and convict who now tours the country advocating for addiction and recidivism reduction and criminal justice reform.
At Tuesday’s event, attended by more than 200 people, a young female spoke about her addiction and how it cost her everything. She is a member of a youth group associated with The Atlantic Club-Jenkins Foundation on Route 50.
The next night, another event was hosted by the Ocean City Police Department, Worcester County Sheriff’s Office and Worcester County State’s Attorney’s Office. A documentary was shown and featured a variety of speakers close to the area’s drug problem. Additionally, free naloxone training was offered by the local health department.
These events coincided this week with the declaration of a “state of emergency” on opiate addiction in Maryland by the governor. That designation comes with a multi-pronged approach to battling this issue and reforming certain practices in place to tackle the problems.
As we as a community move forward to raise awareness and seek “solutions,” we have to do so in unity and working together.
This week’s events coupled with the ongoing work over the last year by the Worcester County Warriors Against Opiate Addiction group demonstrate the passion is there. Mobilizing that community fervor into an effective tool to affect change in the future on the legislative, rehabilitative, law enforcement, education and counseling fronts is a key component in this fight against addiction disease.
