Community Impact Team to Host Communities That Talk Event

Substance use is a community problem that touches all ages in all communities. North Reading is not immune. The town’s Drug Free Communities Grant aims at reducing this number, but also to stop use before it starts. On October 2nd the North Reading Community Impact Team will host Communities That Talk at the North Reading High School Performing Arts Center from 6:30pm-8:00pm free of charge. This multi-subject panel event aims to provide local information to residents of all ages. Drug Free Communities Grant Director Amy Luckiewicz explained, “We’re entering our fourth year of this grant and have had some great successes, but we need to stay vigilant and continue to educate the town about substance use trends, threats, and most importantly, how to get help.” She continued, “We wanted to provide an opportunity for residents to learn about the current status of substance use in our town. It’s important that this event cover multiple substances including alcohol, marijuana, and prescription and opioid drug use. The Communities That Talk event will do just that.”

North Reading Mental Health/Substance Use Clinician Laura Miranda observed, “We know that one obstacle for people to get help is stigma, and we also know that one way to fight stigma is to talk about the scope of the problem. People tell us all the time that they are unaware of substance use issues in North Reading. We hope that Communities That Talk provides some clarity there.” Luckiewicz continued, “Alcohol, nicotine, marijuana, opioids and other prescription drugs tempt hundreds of North Reading residents and youth each year. Sometimes, this leads to a devastating outcome.” In 2016 the North Reading suffered 12 overdoses; one was fatal. The following year, North Reading saw 19 overdoses with two being fatal. The 2018 overdoses topped at twenty with four fatal overdoses, and in 2019, the community has already suffered 9 overdoses. With the help of Naloxone, quick-response from emergency responders, and public education, none have been fatal this year. The youngest victim was 19; the eldest was 59. Luckiewicz added, “The addition of fentanyl-laced drugs have only compounded the threat.”

Luckiewicz commented, “Although these opioid overdose numbers are devastating, it would be foolish to look at them in a bubble.” Of all the known overdoses, each victim also used a second substance before they began using opiates as well as during their use. “Those may be nicotine, marijuana or alcohol,” Luckiewicz explained. “We have to provide education on those substances as well. The Communities That Talk event will provide information on the prevalence of those substances in North Reading, how addiction hijacks the brain, and what are some red flags of addiction from first-hand accounts.” In addition, attendees will learn about local resources they can go to for help. North Reading Youth Substance Use Prevention Coalition Chair Marci Bailey explained, “This presentation is not theoretical. It is not about another town or another high school. This is real data about our North Reading youth and real resources in our community to help students and families who need assistance and to keep students healthy. I urge all parents from every grade level and local residents to attend.”

Registration for this event is not required. For more information on the Communities That Talk event, local data, please contact Amy Luckiewicz at (978)357-5054 or email coalition@northreadingma.gov. To access treatment and mental health services, please contact Laura Miranda at lmiranda@nrpd.org or call (978)357-5038.