A call for heightened awareness in the fight against drug scourge
Steve Chassman, LICADD’s executive director, speaks Thursday at the organization’s office in Westbury. “There are a lot of empty chairs this Passover and Easter,” he said. Credit: Jeff Bachner
Substance abuse counselors, families, advocates and Nassau County police called for more treatment and prevention for addicts to avoid further overdose deaths of Long Islanders who will be especially missed this holiday weekend.
During a presentation at the Westbury-based Long Island Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, organizers highlighted the 100,000 Americans lost last year to drug overdoses combined with 150,000 alcohol fatalities and the effect on families of loved ones.
“There are a lot of empty chairs this Passover and Easter,” said Steve Chassman, LICADD’s executive director at the organization’s office in Westbury. “Please remember, substance abuse disorder is a family disease. There are too many families on Long Island, in New York and across America, being ravaged by the substance abuse crisis.”
Chassman noted that substance abuse does not have to be a death sentence, with 30 million people nationwide in long-term recovery for drug or alcohol dependency. He said advocates are still working to change the narrative of substance abuse addiction.
“People do get better,” he said. “We know we’ve all incurred great loss. COVID, substance abuse, mental health, but families do recover,” Chassman said.
Organizers said they plan to continue distributing the overdose reversal drug naloxone, or Narcan, to be readily available to treat opioid and fentanyl overdoses. LICADD also is distributing fentanyl test strips to detect the lethal component in opioids, pressed anxiety pills and cocaine.
LICADD and the group Families in Support of Treatment are partnering with school districts, parent survivor groups and Nassau police to increase education, treatment and prevent future overdose deaths.
Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said all officers are equipped with Narcan treatment, but police need the community’s help to battle addiction and drug-related crimes like drug dealing, domestic abuse and violent crime.
He said police can treat addicts with Narcan multiple times, but there is nothing to keep them from using again after hospitalizations.
“We cannot arrest ourselves out of this problem. We know that,” Ryder said. “We cannot do this alone. Join the fight and we can … save lives.”
LICADD also has a 24-hour hotline to connect with clinicians and offer treatment: 516-747-2606 or 631-979-1700.
Other organizations, including families of loved ones who have died from overdose, have offered support to families battling addiction and the expense and stress of treatment and funeral costs.
Victor Ciappa, who lost his 18-year-old daughter in 2008 to heroin, started the organization Operation Natalie to increase education, treatment and prevention of drug use.
“No one is safe. No matter how talented, brilliant and beautiful your kid is, addiction changes personalities,” Ciappa said. “Losing Natalie changed everything. I wish I didn’t have to be here anymore. Maybe someday I won’t. We need you to make a difference.”
John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.
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