Doctor from a clinic in British Columbia prepares to administer a dose to a patient. Source: Macleans.ca
Within the last year, three students from Lake Washington High School in Kirkland, Wash. have died from heroin overdoses. Unfortunately, those three were added to the ever growing list of opiate-related deaths.
One of whom was 19-year-old Amber Roberts. Roberts was a bright, bubbly individual who was well liked by all of her peers. However she fell victim to a plague that, in the last six decades, has reared it’s ugly head.
“When I’ve worked with clients who have come close to death due to their opiate usage, it’s almost the same story every time. They either did too much and overdosed, or they couldn’t get their fix and the withdrawals almost 'did them under” says Maria Gonzales, a retired substance abuse counselor from Eugene, Ore.
Gonzales is one of the growing amount of people who believe that a potential solution is right at our door. “Why keep sending addicts to jail? Why keep cycling them into custody, instead of doing something to save them?” she added.
Every day, over 1000 people are admitted to an emergency facility due to misuse of opiates. Drug overdoses are the leading cause of accidental death in the United States. Since 2001, the amount of opiate related deaths have increased x6 according to the American Society of Addiction Medicine.
Due to such a frightening increase in deaths, a possible solution has been brought to the table. That possible solution is Heroin Assisted Treatment or “H.A.T.”
H.A.T. was first discovered in the United Kingdom around the 1920’s as a method to combat opiate addiction. Due to legality issues, the practice began to decline a mere 10 years later. However after a resurgence of the treatment in the 80’s, the Netherlands and Switzerland adopted the practice and began to see great results.
H.A.T. is a clinic-based treatment plan developed around using the actual drug or synthetics to wean off safely. Not only that, but it aims to reduce withdrawal related deaths by providing small, controlled amounts.
These doses are administered by doctors who use sterilized needles and operate out of legal clinics to make sure they have access to the drug without needing to resort to street dealers to avoid withdrawal.
There are many risks associated with using street heroin. One of which is the lack of sterile needles. With sharing needles comes extremely high risk of Hepatitis and HIV/Aids.
These treatment centers aim to eliminate that risk. Additionally, in the event that someone were to overdose or go into a state of withdrawal, they would be under care and supervision.
Patient in B.C. Canada makes a visit to receive her treatment. “I was recently admitted to Mount Saint Joseph Hospital. All the staff were so friendly and calm around me, and in my anxious panic-induced state they really helped me feel more at ease.” Source: Macleans.Ca
"I've seen people with opioid-use disorders go through inpatient treatment without medications time and time and time again, without ever being offered alternatives," says Michael Botticelli, who is the director of National Drug Control Policy at the White House. "If one treatment failed for you, we'd say, let's look at other possible treatment options."
These alternative treatments have been shown to work. In studies done by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, it has been shown that 40% of patients moved from these clinics to abstinence-based programs. Currently, there are 23 H.A.T. clinics operating in Switzerland.
H.A.T. could prove to be extremely beneficial to large cities in which opiate use runs rampant. With rampant opiate use, comes death as well. “Something needs to be done, especially here” says Gonzales.
“We live in a place where people use on the street. They will buy from anyone they can find, just to avoid dying. In a lot of cases you either die from the withdrawal or die from the overdose, you can’t win. It’s an endless cycle and something like this could possibly stop it in it’s tracks.” she added.
A friend of Roberts, Mackenzie Ripley, says “I definitely believe doctor monitored help would be great- It needs to be regulated and not an illegal, awful, taboo thing.” Ripley was also a friend and classmate to another student at L.W.H.S. who passed away last month.
Amber’s father, Michael Roberts, was also quick to speak on the matter. “If regulated and performed by doctors, I would support this concept 100%.” he says. “My belief is that everyone is different, so what may work for someone, may not for someone else. So with drug addiction/alcoholism you need to find what works for you.”
In the wake of his daughter’s tragic death, Roberts has gone out of his way to educate the community, especially parents, about the risks of opiate addiction. He has called for community meetings to educate others about this rapidly growing problem. “I was hurt, I was sad, but I was like ‘seriously, this stuff needs to stop.” Roberts says in an interview with King 5 News about how he felt when he found out Amber had passed.
According to King County Police Department, in the Eastside of King County Wash., there were more than 50 heroin-related deaths between 2012-2015.
In the meantime, Robert’s wish is to bring attention to the issue, he is one of many that strongly believes that this epidemic is brushed under the rug far too often. While a permanent solution may be far in the future, the most important thing any community can have is hope.
http://www.king5.com/news/local/more-cities/father-shares-story-to-save-lives/183993971
At a Glance:
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, these resources may be helpful for you.
- https://www.drugabuse.gov/
- SAMHSA 24/7 hotline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
Additionally, a fundraiser called "Amber's Hope" was created by Michael Roberts to bring awareness to the growing problem.
https://www.gofundme.com/548989ta
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