I spoke at this a few weeks ago.  My self along with two friends, went as representatives of my bereavement group GRASP.  It was a great experience.  This enabled us to show that we are a parents worst nightmare and that the realities of this epidemic is real.

We need this to happen in all counties, towns across America.  This is the only was that we have a chance to push prevention to a different level..  There were physicians there.  One imp-articular, who also lost his child.  He is a pain management doctor and is taking every action that HE can to stop the doctor shopping, over prescribing and over use of drugs from patients.  I commend him and his practice.  I know the difficulty that physicians face these days.  I feel some need to review the medical ethics code…but decipher them in today’s society!

Local coalition seeks to reduce drug ‘epidemic’ in Warren County

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A local coalition that includes community leaders from different sectors is trying to curb what one member describes as the “epidemic of prescription medicine and heroin” in Warren County.

Mary Jo Harris, a prevention educator with the Family Guidance Center, is part of the local coalition that formed in January 2012. The coalition is part of a larger, regional service in partnership with Sussex County funded with the help of a $500,000 grant from the state Division of Mental Health Addiction Services, Harris said.

The group aims to reduce underage drinking, abuse and misuse of prescription medication and illegal substances, with a focus on heroin, marijuana and new and emerging drugs like K2 spice and bath salts, Harris said.

Up until 2012, “Warren County never had a very active coalition to deal with substance abuse,” Harris said. It wasn’t until the coalition formed last year that Harris said she became aware of the severity of the problem.

“We’ve got kids 18, 19 and 20 who are using heroin,” Harris said. “It’s starting someplace. It used to be alcohol is the gateway drug, I don’t know anymore. We get phone calls, read the paper and get emails about the heroin that’s going on in Warren County.”

Harris identified Phillipsburg, Hackettstown and Washington Borough as the three areas where the coalition has seen the most incidents of prescription medicine abuse and heroin use.

Heroin, Harris said, is being used as a cheaper substitute for prescription medicine abuse. “Nobody starts with heroin. You can trace it back to prescription medication,” which Harris said is especially problematic because of the “low perceived risk of harm” among users.

Harris also said law enforcement members of the coalition attribute the increase in break-ins and thefts in Warren County to an increase of drugs.

“We have law enforcement coming to us asking for help to raise funds to install cameras to be installed in the identified high drug trafficking areas. Kids tell us on a regular basis how easy it is to get pills, sell pills, and attend ‘pharm-parties.’”

Part of the solution includes making physical changes and alterations to the county. “Nobody is going to be doing anything illegal if there’s a big light there,” Harris said, adding that dark parking lots, vacant fields and dilapidated buildings attract drug activity.

Another component includes education, Harris said.

The Family Guidance Center and the Warren County Prosecutor’s office are co-sponsoring training on Prescription Drug Abuse and the NJ Prescription Monitoring Program on May 10.

Training will include, among other things, information about:

•Strategies for medical staff to learn more about a patient’s drug history.
•Doctor Shopping – Fraudulent obtainment of prescription medication.
•“Pill Mills” – New Jersey law on prescribing and dispensing of controlled substances.

A session for parents will be held from 9 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Throughout the day there will be sessions for law enforcement and medical officials. Interested attendees must RSVP by May 9th.

You can reach Mary Jo Harris at 908-689-1000 ext. 310 or mharris@fgcwc.org.