VILLAS – Lower Township Healthy Youth Coalition held the first substance abuse panel Oct. 9 at Township Hall.
County prevention and treatment experts, law enforcement, parents and legislators talked with community members at a town hall meeting.
Steve Selby, of Cape Assist, explained that the Healthy Youth Coalition was planning to hold more meetings throughout the year to educate the community on the resources available for adults, children and families to fight substance abuse.
An estimated 206 people in the county overdosed from drugs or other substances in 2017. Those overdoses resulted in 33 deaths. Lt. Joseph Landis said the Prosecutor’s Office has been focusing on addiction education and Narcan training. The result, he said, was small improvement in the number of overdoses, down to 158.
The panel also included SueAnne Agger, CARES Recovery Supervisor; Lt. Don Vanaman, of the Lower Township Police Department; Joseph Faldetta, of Cape Assist; Tonia Ahern, of Parent to Parent; and Councilman Tom Conrad.
Faldetta compared the use of heroin to kayaking over Niagara Falls.
“You wouldn’t get into the water if I asked you to kayak over the falls,” he said. “But what if I took you upstream so far that you could no longer see the falls and the water was calm? That is were most people get involved with addiction, at a point where they can’t see the danger.”
Faldetta noted that harder drug use typically start with alcohol and that youth that drink before the age of 15 are five times more likely to develop substance abuse issues. A recent study pinpointed that the first use of alcohol for children in Cape May County is age 11.
Lower Township Manager Jim Ridgway told the audience that while substance abuse and opioid addiction is an epidemic in many towns, including Lower Township, there have been small victories and noted the new projects and organizations that have been brought in to combat the epidemic.
Councilman Conrad outlined those measures such as an increase in the township’s police force, support in the LEAD program, the start of the Healthy Youth Coalition, the Lower Township Police youth summer camp and a new recreation programs including a music and video editing class.
For more information on upcoming programs or get in contact with various organization, please visit lthyc.org.
Cape May – Governor Murphy says he doesn't know anything about the drones and doesn't know what they are doing but he does know that they are not dangerous. Does anyone feel better now?
