Month: November 2014

Kyle Simon: Collegiate Recovery Communities – Bringing Substance Use Disorders Out of the Shadows and Into the Sunlight

by

Prescription drug-related overdose deaths claimed more than 16,000 lives in 2011,1 prompting the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to deem prescription drug abuse an epidemic.2 This epidemic does not discriminate – it has affected Americans of all ages, education, income level, gender, and ethnic background.

The epidemic has been particularly widespread on college campuses. Between 1993 and 2005, the number of college students abusing opioid pain medications like oxycodone and hydrocodone increased by 343 percent, while stimulant abuse (e.g., Adderall) increased by 93 percent.3 A recent news report found that about 2 in 3 college students are offered prescription drugs by their senior year, with approximately one-third of them abusing prescription drugs during their college career.4 Furthermore, nearly one out of five college-aged (18-25) Americans has a past-year substance use disorder.5

Policy makers in Washington and state capitals across America are addressing prescription drug diversion and abuse through legislation and regulations, but this alone will not be the panacea. Local, peer-to-peer support organizations focused on prevention, treatment, and recovery play a critical part of a unified effort to reducing prescription drug abuse. Collegiate recovery communities are taking a leading role in doing just that. Collegiate recovery communities are campus-based, student-run organizations that focus on prevention as a public health initiative.

Although cultural norms view drinking and drug use in college as a “rite of passage,” many young adults do not age out of their substance use disorder. Collegiate recovery communities’ peer and professional support and other services such as counseling, substance-free housing, and social activities have helped to prevent enormous personal, social, and economic harm one person at a time. According to the not-for-profit Association of Recovery in Higher Education, the average national relapse rate of collegiate recovery program participants is 5 percent, which means that approximately 95 percent of the students who participate in these programs maintain their recovery through complete abstinence from drugs and alcohol.6 This data is a credit to collegiate recovery programs as relapse rates among the general population range between 40 and 60 percent.7

In society at large, dozens of collegiate recovery communities nationwide are promoting prevention and treatment through raising awareness of substance use risks and the harmful stigma and stereotypes around the disease of addiction, treatment, and recovery. Beyond promoting prevention, treatment, and recovery on campuses, it is incumbent upon collegiate recovery community members to mobilize and gain influence to break stereotypes and stigma.

Not unlike the AARP, arguably the most powerful senior citizens interest group totaling 37 million members, collegiate recovery communities have the enormous potential to expand beyond campuses and effectively change our culture to value prevention and health-focused norms. The expansion of the collegiate recovery community model into a larger scale organization that mirrors the AARP’s capacity and represents people in recovery and their allies has the potential to upend cultural norms and save lives.

So how do you do it? Start by sharing your story, whether it is among peers on campus or with policy makers. Personal testimonials are an effective way to compel action from others, and real stories increase your credibility as you seek to make a difference in the lives of others. By using your voice, you have the potential to build a grassroots movement that will grow the footprint of your collegiate recovery community and inspire others to step up to the plate and be leaders on substance use and addiction beyond graduation.

Collegiate recovery communities are fostering a healthier and more prosperous future for America one person at a time. It is time to expand collegiate recovery communities into a national recovery community organized to promote programs and policies advancing prevention, treatment, and recovery so that no more lives are lost due to substance use disorders.

Kyle Simon is Director of Policy and Advocacy for the Center for Lawful Access and Abuse Deterrence (CLAAD).

——————————————————————————————————————————————————-

1. Press Release, CDC, Opioids Drive Continued Increase in Drug Overdose Deaths (Feb. 20, 2013), http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2013/p0220_drug_overdose_deaths.html.
2. CDC Grand Rounds: Prescription Drug Overdoses – a U.S. Epidemic, CDC (Jan. 13, 2012), http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6101a3.htm.
3. A Rising Epidemic on College Campuses: Prescription Drug Abuse, Clinton Found. (Jan. 12, 2014), http://www.clintonfoundation.org/blog/2014/01/12/rising-epidemic-college-campuses-prescription-drug-abuse#sthash.bxyCN6x6.dpuf.
4. Zadrozny, Brandy. “7 Things You Need to Know About Adderall.” The Daily Beast/Newsweek. Accessed April 22, 2014
5. Results from the 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Summary of National Findings, Substance Abuse & Mental Health Servs. Admin. (2013), http://www.samhsa.gov/data/NSDUH/2012SummNatFindDetTables/NationalFindings/NSDUHresults2012.pdf.
6. Frequently Asked Questions, Collegiate Recovery, http://collegiaterecovery.org/resources-2/frequently-asked-questions/ (last visited Oct. 3, 2014).
7. The Science of Drug Abuse and Addiction: The Basics, Nat’l Inst. on Drug Abuse, http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/media-guide/science-drug-abuse-addiction-basics (last updated Sept. 2014).

NOPE Candle Light Vigils raise awareness, decrease stigmas

by

On a cold fall evening in October, I and several of my classmates gathered to spend an hour or so outside – away from our studies and our own goings-on. We had gathered not to celebrate the latest win in football but to remember the lives of those lost and those suffering from substance misuse. That cold night in October, we set aside other things we had going on to attend a NOPE Candle Light Vigil.

vigil 3

The Narcotics Overdose Prevention & Education (NOPE) Task Force was started as a result of a growing number of drug overdose deaths in Florida. Thanks to the help of Richard and Karen Perry and Maryann Carey, the non-profit organization was created to provide educational and treatment resources to students and community members relating to the misuse of prescription drugs, opiates, and other substances, according to the NOPE Task Force web site (www.nopetaskforce.org). The Perry family was driven to do something to make a difference by the loss of their son, Richard, to a drug overdose.

For the past eight years, communities across the country have been hosting NOPE Candle Light Vigils to remember those who have died from substance misuse and raise awareness about the consequences of misusing prescription and illicit drugs. In addition to raising awareness, the Vigil also seeks to reduce the stigma associated with addiction. The Vigils coincide with the start of Red Ribbon Week, a national campaign started in 1988 to raise awareness about illegal drug use (redribbon.org).

Kelsey Kresser, a second-year student pharmacist at The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy, was inspired to host  the first NOPE Candle Light Vigil at Ohio State in 2012 after hearing NOPE Task Force founder Karen Perry speak at the Generation Rx University Conference earlier that year.

Members of The Generation Rx Collaborative (l-r) Julianne Mazzola, Kelsey Kresser, and Bethany Hipp, which hosted the NOPE Candle Light Vigil at Ohio State on October 21, 2014

Members of The Generation Rx Collaborative, including (l-r) Julianne Mazzola, Kelsey Kresser, and Bethany Hipp, hosted the NOPE Candle Light Vigil at Ohio State on October 21, 2014.

“Her story of how she lost her son, Rich, to an overdose really touched me and inspired me to bring more awareness about this issue to our campus,” Kresser said. “I hope that by continuing this event, we are bringing down some of the barriers to recovery and eliminating the stigmas surrounding addiction.”

At Ohio State, we had the opportunity to hear from Melissa O’Harra Brown and Wayne Campbell. Both are parents who lost college-aged children to drug overdose. In an attempt to raise awareness about the prevention and dangers of drug misuse, Brown and Campbell created organizations in their children’s honor, Hope Blooms and Tyler’s Light, respectively. These organizations are dedicated to educating the public about this serious public health issue.

vigil 4

Melissa O’Harra Brown and Wayne Campbell, of Hope Blooms and Tyler’s Light, respectively, shared their stories at the October 21st event.

“It was very empowering seeing [parents] face the tragedy of losing their child and try to make good from it,” said Amy Olander, a third-year student pharmacist and Vigil attendee. “This really opens my eyes to how important awareness and sharing stories is.”

vigil 5

NOPE Candle Light Vigil attendees had the opportunity to hear from speakers whose lives were directly affected by the misuse of drugs.

After they spoke, my classmates and I gathered in a circle with lit candles in one hand and stories of lives lost in another. We stood together as a “living wall” to honor parents, children, friends – people who are no longer with us. In that moment of silence, it was their lives we remembered.

vigil 2

This may have been one event on one night, but it instilled a powerful impetus to spread awareness about the issue of substance misuse, according to Divya Verma, a third-year student pharmacist who has helped run the event since its inception in 2012.

“…Putting a face to drug abuse inspires and drives us to educate and protect our community,” she said. “Hearing Tyler’s Light and Hope Blooms share their powerful stories resonates with me that anyone can be affected by drug abuse and addiction, and it’s essential that… we help treat addiction as any major other disease state to save lives in the long run.”

With the misuse of drugs being a leading cause of death in this country, it is imperative that both health care providers and the general public are aware of the issue and its consequences. We must use available resources to arm ourselves with information to assist those who need help and to prevent the progression of addiction so we don’t have more stories like Richard Perry’s, Hannah Brown’s and Tyler Campbell’s. The Candle Light Vigil helped remind us of the task at hand.

Photos courtesy of Emily Keeler.