To understand the tragic “new wave of heroin abuse” and overdoses on Long Island, we need to look at what creates the supply and demand for drugs.
The supply side is a result of a sophisticated marketing scheme by someone with access to a substantial amount of heroin. Cheap, easily available, undiluted heroin will hook many, creating a market for the drug.
To learn what creates the demand, we need to understand what drives the self-medicating behavior. In interviews with past and present youthful users, your article clearly points out their need to prove themselves and the underlying lack of self-esteem. These are symptoms of depression, a condition 25 million Americans are trying to cope with by taking legal substances.
Getting tough on drugs or on drug users will not address the underlying condition that generates demand. Educating young people about their vulnerabilities could help many to avoid the pitfalls of addiction.
Howard Josepher New York, Sept. 29, 2009
The writer is president and chief executive of Exponents, an organization that works to improve the quality of life of people affected by drug addiction.
Exponents is a 501(c)3 minority-led organization dedicated to improving the quality of life of individuals affected by drug addiction, incarceration, and HIV/AIDS. Serving clients from the entire New York City area, Exponents' programs assist individuals and their families through difficult transitions — from addiction to recovery, from incarceration to civilian life, and from welfare to work.
a continuum of services:
Our programs are tailored to complement one another and to provide a continuum of services that help active drug users through all the varying stages of recovery. We don't just treat the problem — we help the person get better. Each of our programs builds skills, educates, and provides life-saving information. Individuals learn user-friendly techniques to manage stress, promote healthy behavior, avoid relapse, and become self-advocates.
changing lives:
More than 1,200 people began to change their lives at Exponents this past year:
• Nearly 100% were substance users, and 90% had chronic illnesses • 95% were African-American and Latino • 58% were men and 42% were women • 772 individuals were HIV-positive • 70% had a history of incarceration • 90% were living below the federal poverty line • 75% were homeless
Our inclusive environment welcomes people of every race, gender, age, and sexual orientation. The diversity of our participants also includes people at varying stages of recovery.
