Addiction is any county is a problem

Sussex County is some 40 miles from New York City at its closest proximity and the county has a large land mass of some 526 square miles with a population of a possible 350 people per square mile. State Crime reports often describe the county, as ex-rural, but a rural nature does not preclude serious drug usage.

According to the Star Ledger, the number of New Jerseyeans between the ages of 18 to 25 admitted to Addiction Treatment Centers statewide for heroin rose by more than 12 percent. The pace of rising drug usage indicates greater problems ahead, and with cheap prices that usage paradigm will spread. Counties, such as, Sussex, Morris, Warren, Cape May, and Hunterdon are now being targeted by drug dealers.

We now know that statistically across this nation that some 21.6 million Americans over the age of 12 are dependent on some substance. Statistical reports indicate that some 15.3 million people are now hooked on painkiller drugs with only marijuana usage greater. It should be noted that there are areas in our county where marijuana grows wild.

Each day, however, some 114 Americans die from prescription drug usage with some 6,748 admitted to emergency rooms for misuse of opioids, and sleep medications. We know that some 22,000 Americans die from prescription drug usage, and in one study from 1997 to 2005, prescriptions of morphine-liked drugs rose some 588 percent.

The above issues above, coupled with issues, such as, treatment versus incarceration, how to reduce stigma of addicts, and various types of treatment indi6pcate the need for a discussion on drug issues, and a need for a county forum on all the issues above. On Jan. 29, from 6-8 p.m. at Bridge way, a treatment center, a forum will be held on all the issues listed above. The forum will be sponsored in large part by the Center for Prevention and Counseling.

Bill Weightman
Member, National Drug on Drug Dependence