SEA ISLE CITY – More than 150, including many children, gathered at the Municipal Gymnasium Feb. 28 for a special presentation by the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office entitled “Pills to Heroin.”
Parents, educators, social workers and law enforcement officials, some from neighboring counties, came to hear information and share ideas on how to combat what Prosecutor Robert Taylor called “The most dangerous drug and biggest threat faced by Cape May County law enforcement today.”
The event was one of what Taylor hopes will be many more public information sessions regarding the evolving drug epidemic, and what law enforcement is doing to combat it.
Taylor opened the meeting with some statistics:
• 108 heroin overdoses, 28 of them fatal, in Cape May County last year alone. He attributed this to the fact that heroin is much more lethal than it once was.
• The purity of heroin in the county, 60 percent, is among the highest in the nation. “To a novice, that purity can cause addiction, or overdose, in just one use.”
Assistant Prosecutor Edward Shim and Lt. Joseph Landis of the Narcotics Task Force gave the presentation. They said that the gateway drug to heroin is something that many have in their home, prescription opiates. Common among these are drugs such as morphine, codeine and oxycodone, to name a few.
While those drugs are commonly prescribed for legitimate medical purposes, they can become addicting to the patient who becomes physically dependent on the opiate for daily function. Heroin is often turned to after the prescriptions run out because it offers a similar euphoric high for less cost, but its effects are devastating.
Heroin is cut (by dealers) with lots of other powerful drugs and toxic substances, which compound its lethal chemistry, the crowd learned. Toxins, like rat poison and drugs like Fentanyl, which can be 80 times the strength of heroin itself, are often added to increase potency.
Landis said it’s those additives, along with catchy logos and names like “Incredible Hulk” and “Lethal Injection,” that drives demand among addicts.
Shim, a former pharmacist, warned of the dangers of having unsecured or excess prescription drugs around the house. When a patient feels better, they often keep unused prescriptions for “next time,” usually in a medicine cabinet or drawer. Those drugs can fall into the hands of children, or anyone, for whom they were not prescribed.
As dosage levels of these drugs have increased over the past 30 years, so too has the likelihood of addiction, especially for those taking them while not under a doctor’s supervision.
The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), in conjunction with the County Prosecutor’s office and municipal police departments, conducts Operation Take Back twice each year. That program allows residents to drop off unused, unwanted, or expired prescription drugs to any local police department to be disposed of safely. The DEA has administered that program since 2010.
Landis reported that the last Operation Take Back resulted in 1.7 million pounds of prescription drugs destroyed nationwide, 448 pounds of that from Cape May County alone. The program is free and anonymous, no questions asked. The next Operation Take Back is scheduled for April 26.
The Prosecutor’s Office also announced that it is seeking approval from the New Jersey Attorney General to use drug forfeiture funds to purchase Narcan, an opioid antagonist, which is used by emergency responders to counter the effect of an overdose of opiates, such as heroin.
Narcan would be distributed to local police departments which would be trained on how to administer the potentially life-saving antidote.
Shim also explained New Jersey’s new Overdose Prevention Act. The law, which took effect last year, provides legal protection for those who might be in violation of drug laws while attempting to help a drug overdose victim.
Much of the public comment focused on where addicts and their families can turn for help.
Daniel Ginsburg is a social worker from Atlantic County. Ginsburg, a director of marketing for Guided Solutions, an addiction treatment and detox organization, said, “The state needs a single point of entry for families who don’t know where to turn.”
Donna Verdade, member of the Dennis Township Board of Education, noted that more needs to be done to bring attention to the many addiction, detox, and counseling programs offered by local organizations such as Cape Counseling Services, the Family Success Center, Cape Assist, and Family Matters, among others.
Mike Jargowsky, leader of Boy Scout Troop 76, attended with more than a dozen scouts. “I think it’s important that the kids be here to listen and learn,” Jargowsky said. “The dangers are different today. These kids are bombarded with so much more than we were when we were kids.”
Taylor told the scouts that their special mission was to “spread the word of the dangers of heroin.” The scouts listened from the front two rows, answered questions from the presenters, and even asked a few questions of their own.
The event was sponsored by the Sea Isle City Municipal Alliance Committee, and the Sea Isle City Police Department. After the presentation, Freeholder Vice Director Leonard Desiderio, and chair of the Municipal Alliance Committee, said he was pleased with the turnout, and looked forward to more informational sessions throughout the county to spread the message.
If any organization would wish to sponsor an informational session, or if anyone has questions, Shim can be reached at (609) 465-6864, or eshim@cmcpros.net.
Those needing help, or knowing someone who does, were urged to reach out. There are many free services available to help in any stage of a struggle with addiction.
To contact Don Tozer, email dtozer@cmcherald.com.
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