There is a new initiative to save the lives of people with substance abuse disorder.
Local businesses can get free hi-tech narcan kits. The ONEboxes contain narcan, a medication that reverses the effects of opioid overdoses.
“The boxes contain four doses of Narcan as well as a box of PPE, personal protective equipment, so you can do mouth-to-mouth resuscitation,” Julie Dostal, executive director of the Council on Alcoholism and Addictions, known as LEAF, said. “The ONEbox also has a sixty second instructional video.”
There are English and Spanish versions of the tutorial. About two dozen businesses got ONEboxes in the initial distribution. Contact leafinc.org for ONEboxes.
I have an overdose rescue kit and was taught how to administer narcan. It’s simple. Anyone can do it.
I salute the work of the Oneonta Narcan Initiative Team. Addicts deserve multiple chances to overcome their dependency.
Drug addiction is a complex and growing problem. There are no easy solutions. And there is no doubt that poverty, unemployment, and dysfunctional families increase the propensity to abuse drugs.
My father became an alcoholic; an in-law was a heroin addict; and I witnessed the rise of addiction and how it wrecked lives and damaged communities while living in a drug-infested Manhattan neighborhood.
My opinions are not always considered politically correct. That doesn’t mean I’m not sympathetic to addicted individuals.
Advocates say we should show empathy, encourage addicts to get professional help, and provide shelter, food and clothing. I agree. We should also be patient. We should never give up believing that individuals can kick drug or alcohol addiction.
But we must also recognize that addicts and alcoholics must accept responsibility for their actions. They will never overcome addiction, no matter how much help they get, until they decide to get sober. And they must put in the hard work required to beat addiction.
Advocates often discount personal responsibility. “Yes, there certainly is [personal responsibility],” Dostal said. “But with addiction your brain is literally lying to you about the substance. It’s really hard to stop listening to your own brain saying that you need this thing to survive.”
I don’t believe that’s the whole story. I say addiction is also a character weakness. It’s easier for an addict to get high or drunk than to confront life’s difficulties. And I also believe many programs blame drug companies and society while ignoring addicts irresponsible behavior. Advocates call for needle exchanges and safe injection sites while claiming their programs are under funded and short staffed.
These good intentions result in enabling more bad behavior, and endangering the neighborhoods where they are located. Drug dealers set up shop where the customers are, down the block from needle exchanges and injection sites.
I believe the first step is for addicts to acknowledge the problem. However, many refuse to admit their life is a mess. Or, they refuse to help themselves. They turn away from family and friends who confront them. That behavior on the part of addicts increases the possibility of a downward spiral.
I took my first drink because I wanted the experience. I smoked my first joint because I thought it would be interesting. I smoked a cigarette because it seemed cool. Also, there was peer pressure. Luckily, I was strong enough to use marijuana, booze, and beer in moderation and knew smack, coke and pills would wreck my life. As I got older I said no to all intoxicating substances.
By contrast, I have known people who shot heroin, snorted cocaine and smoked crack knowing it would not end well. They did it anyway. They wanted the high and thought they could beat the odds.
I believe we are all responsible for our actions. And if one acts recklessly we should say they are irresponsible.