Discussion At Greenwich Church Focuses On Growing Heroin Problem

Author Timothy Dumas, who wrote an article about the issue in Greenwich Magazine will be leading a discussion about the growing opioid use epidemic in Greenwich and how it often leads to heroin use over time. 

While sharing intimate details from his article about local addicts he interviewed, Dumas will be able to communicate some potential options for families who might be hurt by this growing epidemic. 

In the past three years, heroin deaths have nearly tripled in Connecticut. In 2015, there were 89 overdoses from opioids and heroin. According to the State Medical Examiner, in 2015 the youngest heroin related death was a 17-year-old female from Cheshire and the youngest in Fairfield County was a 19-year-old from Greenwich. 

Capt. Richard Conklin of the Stamford Police Department said, “It’s like an explosion. We’ve seen heroin around here forever, but this is different -- there’s a huge supply and an ever-increasing demand. It’s really reaching across all demographics.”

Oxycontin was introduced to the market in 1996. Eventually, doctors started prescribing it readily for pain which started a very slippery slope for those taking with tendencies leaning towards addiction. 

As the drug became more “main stream,” the death toll started to rise across the country. In 1999 there were 4,030 deaths related to opioid painkillers and by 2014, it had risen to 18,893. 

For more information regarding this event, click here or email Laurie Meek at Laurie@2cc.org.

The Second Congregational Church in Greenwich is at 139 E. Putnam Ave.

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