Introduction
Over the next hour, we’ll share the stories of people overcome by this dangerous addiction, and we’ll show you the grief families are going through. We’re also taking a look at the local efforts (by doctors and law enforcement) to get ahead of the opioid crisis, and we’re looking at local and national resources. We’ll let you know what’s available, how you can help, and what our community needs. [Quote from Video]
Watch Now!
After watching the following video, you are welcome to share your experience by providing a review of the resource.
Quotes
“We don’t know who it’s going to affect next. Drugs aren’t just for ‘poor people’. Drug addiction affects everyone, socioeconomics play no part in it.”
“It was soon pretty evident that the whole drug culture was pretty attractive to her and I was really concerned as a mom. It’s hard to know what to do. I really feel for everyone out there who has a child that has an addiction problem because you don’t know where to turn and there’s so much stigma surrounding this – it’s hard to even talk to other people about it.”
“If just one person hears me, if just one person does one thing to save a life, then I don’t care about a million naysayers or people who don’t understand. I just care about that one mother that I can stop from experiencing the pain that I have.”
“Fentanyl, I believe, is the most radical change in drug trafficking that we’ve ever seen in this country. What you’re seeing is that this is now the go-to additive – it’s a very, very cheap, extraordinarily potent, extremely profitable additive you can put in anything.”
“You don’t wake up in the morning saying, ‘Geeze I hope something happens to my child because I want to be an advocate for something,’ but it puts you in a spot where you’re left with nothing but that choice to make a difference so that your child didn’t die in vain. I never wanted to think that Ryan’s life did not matter.”
“I’ve set up a fund called ‘Emily’s Hope’ because I never gave up hope on my daughter. I want her life and her tragic death to at least give someone else hope.”
ANGELA KENNECKE
“Good Samaritan Laws are supposed to protect friends who are using together when something goes terribly wrong. South Dakota put one on the books in 2017, yet people continue to overdose and die because those around them are too afraid to call police.”
“My love for the drug was stronger than my fear of the needle. I would have done anything to get it; to keep that feeling, to keep everything just okay.”
“Drug Court has been combining supervision, treatment, counselling, and support since 2011 … there is a team made up of attorneys, law enforcement, treatment counsellors and more to help the people who come here.”
“If you’re not really ready to stop, none of these things are going to help anybody. You literally have to hate this with everything that you have, that’s the only way you’ll ever stop.”
“If he were to slip up – he might – that doesn’t mean that you’re a failure and you start over at day zero. You just get back up and continue walking.”
“The old model for addiction was always total abstinence. In this case, we’re not saying ‘use opioids’. We’re saying we need to use another medication to help that person deal with this so they can move on. Otherwise, it’s almost impossible for some people to get off of these on their own.”
Continue Learning
Please view the following additional resources to continue learning about some of the topics discussed in this resource. If you have any suggestions, concerns or general comments, feel free to contact me as well!
