The Drug Addiction Problem in Our County

I just came back from my first local meeting of NARANON, a support group for parents, spouses and friends affected by the skyrocketing problem of drug addiction in our community. I am a long time participant in NARANON, now approaching 30 years. I also attended two of the three conferences held by the Cape May County Health and Human Services Department concerning the drug addiction problem in the county.
The county is looking for any means possible to battle the problem. They are collecting data, forming focus groups and looking for any way to help and support our residents affected by the drug problem. In the end I am sure they will find it will take a lot of money that will be needed to spend on programs that can potentially help. We, as a government, spend a ton on police, prosecutor and a jail to pursue and punish the criminals associated with drugs. This is an issue of public safety and obeying our laws.
On the flip side we spend relatively little on helping the victims of drugs. The classic arguments are that a drug abuser chose that path and thus gets little sympathy from us. But what about the parents, spouses and loved ones who receive the unwarranted brunt of the consequences of drug addiction? Alcoholism is treated as a disease because it has become a “socially accepted addiction” and we sell alcohol in stores but not drugs. Drug addiction is not and thus the insurance industry does not allow treatment of addiction the same as other diseases. Drug addiction has a stigma attached to it that alcoholism does not.
I have always said, do not offer me advice or solutions until you have walked in my shoes. I will not demean the professionals in the drug addiction community by stating they lack knowledge, but often times the solutions they propose are not the most effective strategy to deal with the problem in my opinion.
NA, AA, ALANON, NARANON and ALATEEN are all support groups composed of members of the respective affected people. They are all 12 step programs which advocate a way of life to help deal with your problem. No, they do not have a cure for the problem, but rather they offer a way of life to deal with the consequences of our individual situations (both the addict and the affected party). They are free to the public and self-supporting. They accept no public funds.
My solution is for the most part free. Just like we have food banks for the poor we should have support banks for those affected by drugs. NA and AA appear to do a much better job in helpings addicts on a path to sobriety. NARANON has only one meeting in Cape May County. There should be one in every town! There should be an active information effort by professional organizations and our schools to scream that there is help out there. Churches, synagogues, schools, civic organizations, medical providers and social service organizations should actively support meetings for the groups involved. It’s time to end the stigma and prejudice associated with drug addiction.
My other solution will require some money that is related to the present condition of the prison we are replacing. Rather than spend money to demolish it, use that money to turn it into a treatment center for addiction. We already have the infrastructure in place, i.e. food service, rooms, plumbing, meeting rooms and security controls. Provide space for professionals in the building to offer their services. Subsidize (reduced rents, etc.) the cost of doing business for the professionals to encourage their participation in the building. The only problem I see is arranging for suitable public transportation to and from this building.
Alternatively, the county already owns empty buildings at the NAS in Erma. We are already contemplating tax credits to attract businesses to occupy these buildings. Why not make this a treatment center for addiction. What better use of public funds and buildings could we have?
At one point, the addict in my life caused me to lose control and insanity reigned. I became scared, mistrustful, angry and shameful. As a result, I kept secrets. My greatest joy as a Naranon member is to help someone with a problem, much the same way a lot of people stepped up to help me many years ago. There is a saying in NARANON, “Let go and let God” but often a little help is needed from other sources.