Letter to the Editor: Heroin Needs to Be Talked About Openly

To the editor:

Heroin and overall opiate addiction have become one of America’s most pervasive issues over the past 10 years. According to the CDC, over the past decade heroin use has more than doubled among adults aged 18 to 25. In 2014, 29,000 Americans died from opiate overdoses. In 2015 there were 415 heroin related deaths in Connecticut. This figure rose from 327 in 2014 and 86 in 2012.

Trumbull is not immune to the problem. Even though only one Trumbull resident died from a heroin overdose in 2014, many residents currently struggle with heroin addiction. The problem oftentimes goes unnoticed or a blind eye is turned toward it. Bringing up heroin addiction often makes individuals uncomfortable, which allows the problem to persist. In order to address the issue, people must be willing to talk about the problem openly and in the public sphere.

I have watched someone very close to me succumb to the life ruining vice even after lots of time, money, and effort was invested into fighting the addiction. Hindsight suggests to me that the most effective method of combating heroin dependence may be to treat the underlying mental health issues that became evident in the years leading up to the heroin addiction.

According to the CDC, one of the most effective policies that states and municipalities can enact is to “increase access to substance abuse treatment services, including MAT for opioid addiction.” In addition to the town’s plan to place school resource officers at the middle and high schools, I believe more must be done regarding mental health at the middle and high school levels. I also believe that more community resources should be in place for those suffering from addiction to utilize.

Based on my observations of heroin addiction and its treatment, it appears that too much of the emphasis is on attempted treatment via opiate blockers, such as methadone and Suboxone. Not enough is focused on treating the mental health issues that may be leading to addiction.

According to yellowpages.com, there is currently one organization in Trumbull that provides mental health services for heroin addicts: The Waynik Group. In order to become a patient, insurance is required and a parent/guardian must accompany minors to their first visit. They do accept walk-in appointments for none clients.

In order to combat heroin addiction effectively there needs to be an open dialogue among the community about the problem as well as more services, like the Waynik Group, available. Making these services readily available (i.e. along bus routes) would greatly benefit minors as well as the uninsured. Heroin and opiate addiction is rapidly becoming a community problem that needs a community-based solution.

Daniel Dawson