Presentations at Rumson-Fair Haven Regional HS Outline Dangers of Heroin Use, Provide Personal Account of Addiction Recovery

The Monmouth County Prosecutor’s office, in collaboration with local law enforcement agencies, provided RFH students with a candid look at the dangers of heroin use in a presentation at the school on October 1.

In a follow-up session on October 17, the RFH students received a first-hand account of addiction recovery shared openly by a local resident.

The programs were presented in support of National Substance Abuse Prevention Month, held every October since 2011.

The October 1 presentation was designed specifically for students in response to feedback from “A Time to Talk”, a regional roundtable discussion for parents and those working with adolescents. Held at RFH last year, “A Time to Talk” elicited a large number of requests that a similar program be presented to students at high schools in Monmouth County.

Preventing substance abuse was the theme of the presentation, during which the students were urged to “have courage and take pride in what you put into your body.”

“Heroin doesn’t care who you are, and no one is immune to heroin addiction,” said Michael Pasterchick, Chief of Detectives for the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and a Drug-Free NJ Board of Trustees Member. “It will rob you of your mind, alter your body, and eventually take your life.”

The students were presented with some surprising statistics –

· The U.S. experienced an increase of 413% in heroin-related deaths between 1999 and 2010

· 4.2 million Americans aged 12 and older have reported using heroin at least once in their lives

· It is estimated that one in four people who use heroin will become addicted to it

· So far in 2014, Monmouth County had 75 deaths due to a drug overdoses and 69 of these are attributed to heroin

· Only one in five people who become addicted to heroin will ever lead a productive life

A few weeks later, the RFH students assembled once again – this time to hear from a local resident who represents the “one in five” mentioned in the final statistic.

David Dolan, a graduate student at Monmouth University who is in long-term recovery for addiction, provided the students with a frank discussion about his struggles with substance abuse and dependence. Having excelled in education and coming from what he describes as a “good, middle class family”, Dolan feels that his story shows how the disease of addiction touches all walks of human existence.

“Mine is a genuine presentation that I feel ‘speaks’ to students because I am not just another person telling them what to do,” said Dolan. “I am there to share my story, my choices, and my experiences.”

“My hope is to provide students with a more personal and powerful reason to consider the choices they make regarding drugs and alcohol.”