Pubdate: Sun, 13 Apr 2014
Source: Observer-Dispatch, The (NY)
Copyright: 2014 The Observer-Dispatch.
Contact:  http://www.uticaod.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2297

FINDING NEW WEAPONS IN WAR ON HEROIN

Anyone who has seen the ravages of addiction knows how devastating it
can be. Programs that can help combat that need our full support
because in one way or another, addiction takes a toll on us all.

The latest epidemic is the opioid heroin. Opioid overdoses, including
those from heroin, killed more than 2,000 New Yorkers in 2011 - double
the number that died in 2004, according to the state attorney
general's office. A main reason for its resurgence: Heroin is cheaper
than the prescription drugs it often replaces. And plentiful.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration:

- -- Heroin-related calls to the Upstate Poison Center rose from 55 in
2010 to 193 in 2013 as of mid-November.

- -- The number of people ages 12 to 49 who had used heroin in the past
year rose from 373,000 in 2007 to 620,000 by 2011.

- -- During that same period, the number of addicts rose from 179,000 to
369,000 and the number of first-time users rose from 106,000 to 178,000.

Last year, at least 11 people in Oneida County died of heroin-related
overdoses, according to the Oneida County Department of Health. A
cursory glance at the daily police blotter makes it quite clear that
heroin is rampant throughout our community.

In March, ACR Health, a not-for-profit, community-based organization
that addresses health issues, started a free program in nine counties,
including Oneida and Herkimer, to train community members to
administer naloxone, an "antidote" that can instantly reverse the
effects of an opioid overdose and restart the patient's breathing. And
just last week, New York State Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman
announced the Community Overdose Prevention (COP) program that will
enable every state and local law-enforcement officer to carry naloxone.

Funding to equip officers with naloxone and to train them to properly
administer it will come from $5 million in joint federal-state
criminal and civil money forfeited in connection with drug-related
activity. Officials say it will be enough to equip and train every
state and local officer in New York with a naloxone kit.

That's money well spent. Best of all, it's money confiscated during
drug busts or related activity, meaning that the dealers and addicts
are "contributing" significantly to pay for treatment.

Drug abuse and addiction cost taxpayers billions annually in
preventable health care, law enforcement, crime and other costs,
according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse. Businesses lose
valuable investments in employees who are addled by addiction, while
families are torn apart. Meanwhile, a community's overall quality of
life suffers. Helping addicts saves us money.

But the real benefit is saving lives. If indeed that is our goal - and
it most certainly should be - then we must take whatever steps are
necessary to that end. Naloxone is a first step because it can be a
kick-start for addicts to get into recovery.

A bill in the state Legislature would dramatically increase the
accessibility of naloxone. It was approved in the Senate unanimously
late last month and is now in the Assembly, where it has the support
of Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi, D-Utica. We recommend it be approved
and sent to the governor for signing because it would allow doctors to
write standing orders for naloxone so they don't have to be present
when the drug is handed out.

Clearly, preventing addiction is the first line of defense, and that
begins with education. But battles are being lost, and we must use
every weapon available to us to win this war.
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D