Re: 'Together, we can prevent drug overdose with more awareness' [Village News, 8/15/24]

“Drug overdose is a national health crisis fueled by the opioid epidemic.” True, but awareness should begin with addressing the root causes. The most common drugs that begin drug journeys that end in overdose are marijuana, alcohol and tobacco use among adolescents.

Young people today are targeted in social media and in their environment with marijuana, tobacco and vape products that entice them with the latest cool, but addictive, products designed just for them; child-friendly and sweet.

Interactive videos are a new addition to their marketing playbook. Children would do well to be given a few basic lessons in media literacy to help them recognize the economic incentives behind those promotions.

For some time now, the major strides made with prevention strategies were lost when the public was allowed to be convinced that we could control and regulate addiction industries into becoming model community businesses while collecting welcome tax revenues at the same time.

The continued upward trends in drug abuse and addiction rates are good indicators that policies influenced by those with economic conflicts of interest should be abandoned.

Directing those struggling with dependency, abuse, or addiction into treatment should be a high priority. But harm reduction is a short-term reactive strategy that should never replace efforts to prevent the initiation of harmful drugs especially for adolescents.

Harm reduction is a misnomer. The harm has already occurred to users, their families, and their communities and we will never get ahead of the overdose epidemic with harm reduction strategies. Naloxone miraculously saves a user from an overdose death, but it also carries a high risk of recidivism.

Instead of doubling down on reactive, expensive, and often scarce harm reduction strategies, we should focus on preventing drug abuse in the first place. Help children become more resilient with economical and sustainable prevention strategies.

Kathleen Lippett

Public Health Practitioner