Drug abuse isn’t a new problem, but modern prescription opiates have changed the game. Up until the past 10 or 15 years, most opiate abusers got hooked on the street, buying dubious products from dealers.
Today, you’re more likely to get your first dose of Oxycontin with a legal prescription from your doctor, doled out by your friendly neighborhood pharmacist.
“Almost a quarter of individuals who are prescribed opioids for chronic pain are misusing their medication,” said Katie Strozyk, community health service and contracts coordinator with Lewis County’s Public Health and Social Services Department.
Strozyk was one of several community leaders who spoke at Wednesday evening’s community opioid forum, hosted by Centralia College, which included representatives from health care, law enforcement and a handful of elected officials.
“It is easy to find opioids, and it’s hard to find treatment,” said Dr. Benjamin May, of Chehalis Family Medicine.
The availability of opioid drugs was only one of the topics discussed Wednesday, along with the secondary problems caused by drug abuse, including homelessness and property crime. Stakeholders discussed the need to make medical and counseling services more easily attainable for people who want to get help and the need for affordable housing to help recovering addicts get off the streets and back on their feet.
Most importantly, they talked about the importance of working together.
“Why not us? Why do we have to be followers?” Sheriff Rob Snaza said Wednesday. “This county, we are doing things that nobody else is doing because of the partnerships we have. … We’re going to continue and be the leaders in making a difference in people’s lives.”
Those in attendance Wednesday listened to personal stories from recovering addicts like Kalina Goodwin, who found a path out of addiction through Lewis County’s Drug Court. Law enforcement representatives talked about using naloxone, an opiate overdose antidote, to save 14 lives since it was introduced locally.
Gather Church also gives out naloxone doses to help reduce deaths.
While most agree that something needs to be done about drug abuse, naloxone has become a controversial approach locally. Some ask why government resources are being spent to revive overdosing addicts.
“We signed up to save lives. Sometimes it’s unfortunate we have to save people from themselves,” said Centralia Police Sgt. John Dorff Wednesday. Dorff has saved three people with naloxone since 2017
We agree. If not, what are we saying? That the lives of people consumed with addiction don’t matter? That they’re better off dead? That’s a dangerous road to go down. Anyone who feels that way isn’t a part of the solution to drug abuse, or any of the other problems that come with it.
No one walked away with a quick solution Wednesday night, because there isn’t one. We have to work together as a community to get people in active addiction sober, and connect them with medical and mental health care, housing and long-term support to keep them in recovery.
Holier than thou judgement will get us nowhere. Understanding and support will save lives.
As pastor Cole Meckle of Gather Church said Wednesday, “It’s hard stuff to deal with people at their worst, but they’re still people, and they have feelings and they have lives. We have to do something, and doing nothing isn’t an option.”
