America’s Opioid Crisis: Empowering Student Ethical Protectors

America’s opioid crisis is continually making headline news.

The devastation that this pandemic has ravaged upon individuals, families, communities, and the very heart of the nation is heart-wrenching.

In recent news, Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin, reached a tentative multi-billion dollar settlement.

This settlement involved about half of the states and local governments suing the pharmaceutical company for its role in the opioid crisis.

Moral Bankruptcy

Though my home state of New Jersey was part of the lawsuit, it is one of numerous states not party to the deal.

This means litigation against Purdue Pharma, and the Sackler family, who own the company, will proceed.

In a statement, New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said, “Purdue Pharma has been morally bankrupt for years ... if Purdue cannot pay for the harm it inflicted (due to potential financial bankruptcy) the Sackler’s will.”

Opioid Overdose: Alarming Data

According to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the overview of the opioid overdose crisis gripping America is alarming.

The CDC website shares the following sobering information:

“Drug overdose deaths, including those involving opioids, continue to increase in the United States. Deaths from drug overdose are up among both men and women, all races, and adults of nearly all ages.

“Two out of three drug overdose deaths involve an opioid. Opioids are substances that work in the nervous system of the body or in specific receptors in the brain to reduce the intensity of pain. Overdose deaths from opioids, including prescription opioids, heroin, and synthetic opioids (like fentanyl) have increased almost six times since 1999. Overdoses involving opioids killed more than 47,000 people in 2017, and 36% of those deaths involved prescription opioids.”

Police-Community Unity

There are many approaches required to mitigate the opioid crisis. These have been addressed in numerous articles for The Chief of Police which deserve a snapshot review.

One article titled “America’s Drug Crisis Demands Police-Community Unity,” and was the summer 2017 cover story.

In this piece, I stressed the following:

“America’s police and communities are being challenged to unify to remedy our drug crisis.

“An entire generation of America is suffering from the drug pandemic and we must unify to prevent continual heartbreak to families.

“As we rise to the occasion with moral courage, we must remember that the police and the people are one.

“We must forge iron-clad police-community partnerships to take back our communities from the drug pestilence.

“The reality of the drug crisis is a matter of family tragedies, heartbreak, and death. Our drug crisis also inflicts suffering on the morale our nation.

“We will be on the path to reawakening the nation when, as ethical protectors, we dedicate ourselves to unity.

“America is suffering, and we must all respond to take back the nation from the scourge of the drug crisis.”

Opioids: A Crisis Intensifies

Another article titled “Opioid Addiction: America’s Public Health Crisis,” was the winter 2017 cover story of The Chief of Police.

In this article, the following remarks I shared at a Bergen County Police Chiefs Association (BCPCA) meeting were shared.

“If America is to make any progress with our opioid crisis, we must educate and motivate our youth. They can be empowered to be ethical protectors in their schools and communities. Our young people are critical to turning the tide with this crisis. We must encourage our youth and give them the resources they need.”

My remarks to the BCPCA concluded with the following statement, which I believe is applicable across America:

“Complementing your commendable collaboration to address the opioid crisis, intensify your efforts to reach the youth through the schools.
Through character empowerment programs and opioid awareness initiatives, efforts to safeguard lives from this deadly crisis will be enhanced and positive results achieved.”

Empowering Youth as Ethical Protectors

America’s youth deserve our example, encouragement, and empowerment to cultivate tools critical to protecting themselves and society.

We must do more to stop the scourge of our opioid crisis. Let us have the fortitude to intensify the virtues alive in the hearts of our youth: character, courage, and community.

The unimaginable heartbreak taking place in families throughout the nation by the opioid epidemic can be remedied.

America will be on track to reawakening the nation, when we approach the opioid crisis with moral courage ignited through every facet of America life.

A full collaborative effort must include schools, law enforcement, medical doctors, counselors, mental health professionals, government leaders, the pharmaceutical industry, and recovery groups such as narcotics anonymous (NA).

Schools are critical for defeating the crisis and the efforts of our students is paramount.

Inspiring youth to be ethical protectors for their classmates, schools, families, and communities through character education initiatives must be our priority. Our youth are the heart of America’s resolve, and they are mission critical to eradicating the opioid scourge.

Related Article by Vincent J. Bove:

America’s Drug Crisis Demands Ethical Protectors

Note Well: This article was published as the cover story for The Chief of Police, Fall 2019, and distributed hard copy to police chiefs and law enforcement executives nationwide. It was my 14th cover story for the magazine, and one of over 44 published articles in the magazine during the past 10 years.