By Colleen Latario
Area officials and social services agencies gathered Wednesday on the Morristown Green to raise awareness about the growing scourge of drug addiction.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t news to the historic square.
“A couple weeks ago, a young man overdosed on a bench over there,” Mayor Tim Dougherty told a crowd assembled to educate, heal, and pray on International Overdose Awareness Day.
Mothers of overdose victims gave powerful, emotional speeches. Cheap, plentiful heroin and misuse of prescription painkillers is affecting people from all walks of life.
“Addiction has no face. I see nurses, teachers, counselors and lawyers that have a need for services,” said Alton Robinson, an outreach worker.
Officials said drugs claimed 129 lives per day in the U.S. last year. Forty-two overdose victims — including at least one on the Green — were revived in Morris County by police and EMTs equipped with the medication Narcan, according to the county Prosecutor’s Office. At least 43 more victims were not so lucky.
“Too many of our citizens are dying from heroin and opiates right here in Morris County. This disease doesn’t discriminate,” Chief Assistant Prosecutor Brad Seabury said.
Beth Balaban of Recovery Centers of American said families often don’t recognize trouble until it’s too late.
“Parents don’t want to admit that their children have a problem,” she said.
The day had special resonance for Dougherty. Next month will mark 28 years of sobriety for him, he said.
Lorena Inestroza, an addiction counselor from Essex County, organized the event on behalf of a national coalition called Fed Up,
If you or a family member need help, here are some resources:
- Market Street Mission, 9 Market St., Morristown, 973-538-5904.
- High Focus Centers, Out-Patient Substance Abuse and Psychiatric Treatment Programs, 1259 Route 46 East, Bldg. 4B Parsippany, 1-800-877-3628 (intake).
- Excell Treatment Center, 58 N. Sussex St., Dover, 973-989-7500, ext. 304.
- Cares (Center for Addiction Recovery Education and Success), 25 West Main St., Rockaway, 973-625-1143.
- Summit Oaks Hospital, 19 Prospect St., Summit, 1-800-753-5223.
- Recovery Centers of America, 2701 Renaissance Blvd, 4th floor, King of Prussia, PA, 862-432-6887.
–Kevin Coughlin contributed to this report.
