'Impropable' Addicts

Last week four actors from the Improbable Players acted out what it is like to become an addict. They performed at our own Greater Boston Stage Company and told stories as varied as the actors themselves.

Visiting schools, theaters and community centers throughout the Commonwealth, the artists know about addiction to drugs and alcohol. It’s their own story as well. What bonds them together now is their recovery, their sobriety and their mission to educate others.

Their stories and those of other addicts were sobering, but they were also hopeful. Whether they started with pain killers after a knee injury, or got into the liquor cabinet at home, or turned to heroin because it was cheaper and easier to get than OxyContin, they are the survivors. They each bottomed out. They each asked for help. They mourn the loss of friends who couldn’t.

There are many factors contributing to addiction. They include family history and lifestyle, physical and emotional trauma, depression and other mental health issues, and the pervasive marketing of drugs as a solution to our problems.

In their community appearances, the Improbable Players work to overcome stigma, recognizing that substance use disorder is a disease. They also know that prompt emergency response and access to effective treatment are essential to recovery. These range from inpatient treatment to twelve-step programs and community support.

There are many in our town combatting addiction through education, referral services, emergency treatment and follow-up. They include the Stoneham Coalition, the substance-abuse coordinator, Elle Simoni, Middlesex County Attorney Marian Ryan, Stoneham Schools, parents, Fire, Police and ambulance services.

During the Q&A period after the performance, an audience member asked about marijuana, recently legalized in Massachusetts for recreational use. Is it a “gateway” drug?

I found the response fascinating. Here is what one actor said:

“For me marijuana was not a ‘gateway’ drug. It was the most dangerous drug because I thought it was harmless. I used it every day and because of that I lost much of my twenties. Marijuana is the drug of mediocrity. You can spend your life there, sitting on the couch.”

He continued: “Now I want to accomplish extraordinary things in my life. Marijuana can’t be a part of that.”

Last week the first retail dispensary in Greater Boston opened in Brookline. Also owners of a cannabis shop in Northampton, New England Treatment Access served 2,515 customers on the first day.

By all accounts, demand for marijuana products, for both medicinal and recreational use, is rising. And while the drug has been legalized for adult use (21 and over), there is growing concern about its psychological and social effects, short and long term.

It doesn’t matter whether we label marijuana a gateway drug or not. There are many gateways. What matters is that we educate ourselves about drug use, prescription, legal, and illegal. We know that drug marketing to us will only increase. We need to listen to our medical and addiction professionals. We also need to hear the stories of survivors, like the courageous young men and women of Improbable Players.