project My Sisters Keeper
Since the tragic accidental overdose death of my older sister, Tammy Marie Boyet-Sawyer on January 22nd, 2009, I have felt compelled to do WHATEVER IT TAKES to prevent another
woman, teen or girl, their children and families from living the nightmare of or losing their life to the deadly and indiscriminate epidemic of prescription drug addiction and prescription drug overdose.
There is so much to do. We need everyone's help.
The number of Americans suffering from the disease of addiction has continued to increase exponentially for many decades and while we have witnessed the declines of certain illicit drug specific addiction, we have seen an alarming increase prescription drug addiction and overdose.
New information about how much money Missouri spends on the problems caused by alcohol, tobacco and other drugs was released recently by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University.
It is really shocking, because the researchers found that about 15% of ALL state government spending is for alcohol, tobacco and other drug abuse and addiction and its consequences.
The worst part is that 94% of what states in our country spend on substance abuse goes to pay for the enormous but hidden burden of this problem on public programs such as health care, criminal justice, education, child welfare and mental health -- and less than 3% of this spending goes for prevention and treatment.
With 27 states spending more per citizen on substance abuse treatment and prevention
programs than Missouri while Missouri most recently ranked 17th in the nation for nonmedical pain reliever prescription drug misuse among age 18 to 25 years olds, ALL OF US should carefully consider the message we are sending.
Armed with these FACTS, shouldn't Missouri REEXAMINE their budget priorities and RECONSIDER the importance and impact of a STATE MANDATED PRESCRIPTION DRUG MONITORING PROGRAM.
(National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2005 and 2006. / Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant)
I urge the citizens of Missouri to take a really close look at the facts for our state and read the report here: http://www.jointogether.org/
We can't afford to continue this crazy, upside down spending that wastes billions in taxpayer
dollars at a time when resources are scarce and results in untold human suffering.
The new report identifies common sense, inexpensive and effective prevention and treatment approaches that would help reduce the costs of substance abuse and addiction.
For anyone familiar with addiction and addiction recovery, we have all no doubt heard the
term "rock bottom".
Families of addicts who are desperate to save their loved one are commonly told that for an
addict to want to get treatment THEY MUST REACH "ROCK BOTTOM".
For an addict, their rock bottom is usually the place where the seriousness of their situation is finally realized. It is the place where they are no longer able to live in denial of the situation.
Given the present state of the prescription drug epidemic, it's history and the FACT that the
number of citizens of Missouri and our nation who are currently battling with or have
become casualties of the disease of addiction continues to grow at such an alarming rate,
I implore ALL of us to ask and answer this question, where is our "ROCK BOTTOM?
When will we as women, men, citizens and leaders stand up in a unified voice and say that
WE WILL NO LONGER ENABLE PRESCRIPTION DRUG ADDICTION in Missouri and the
United States.
We owe it to ourselves, those afflicted, those lost and their families to demand
a commitment to NO LONGER ACCEPT IGNORANCE, STIGMA, APATHY and a LACK OF
OVERALL RESOURCES as acceptable excuses for INACTION.
Let us ask ourselves HOW MANY MORE mothers, daughters and sisters are we willing to lose to prescription drug addiction & accidental overdose?
How many more women, children and families will we allow to become victims and casualties of prescription drug addiction.
So many have already been changed forever by the destruction that is prescription addiction!
When is enough, enough?
Myself and the Missouri, Illinois and national supporters of project My Sisters Keeper believe that Today Is The Day and The TIME IS NOW!
WE CAN change the statistics.
WE CAN make prescription drug addiction a page in Missouri, Illinois and this countries HISTORY.
WE CAN utilize our insight, experiences and commitment to ensure PREVENTION AND RECOVERY become our future focus.
WE CAN break the cycle.
WE WILL SAVE LIVES!
WE WILL provide the solution and INSPIRE HOPE by promoting the PROMISE of PREVENTION and the HOPE of RECOVERY.
WE WILL eradicate stigma by promoting and being an example of the POWER of EMPATHY, AWARENESS and EDUCATION.
I urge the citizens of Poplar Bluff to join project My Sisters Keeper to insist that Missouri
legislators take leadership in developing and implementing a strategy and budget that
includes a prescription drug monitoring plan and moves us from a REACTIVE state with
enormous spending on the burden of substance abuse to a PROACTIVE state committed to investing in the PROMISE OF effective addiction PREVENTION & the HOPE OF RECOVERY.
BY BECOMING A STATE THAT FOSTERS, SUPPORTS, & CHAMPIONS PREVENTION & RECOVERY, we will send the message that we are committed to A VISION OF HOPE, EMPATHY AND AWARENESS and finally BEGIN TO HEAL THE DEADLY EPIDEMIC OF PRESCRIPTION DRUG ADDICTION IN MISSOURI, ILLINOIS AND THE UNITED STATES.
Please let me know your thoughts on this revealing report. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss this important issue with you further.
Sincerely,
Crystal Boyet-Hampton
project MY SISTERS KEEPER
crystalboyethampton@
Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/
