Important community-wide event: Let's get educated together about the dangers of drugs in our own back yard

Within a year, in the Orlando area several of our beloved Jewish young adults died due to an accidental drug overdose. Statistically, it is likely that someone close to you will suffer from a substance use disorder in the coming years. How will you recognize the signs? Are there signs? And if you sense something is wrong, what do you do? If you are sure someone you love is dealing with substance use disorder, whom do you turn to for help?

An upcoming panel discussion on Thursday, May 27, sponsored by a newly formed group of community leaders called B'ri'ut (Hebrew for acceptance and wellness) will address these questions and more.

Even recreational drug use has its risks; one time can kill. Approximately 100,000 people have died from an accidental drug overdose in 2020. More overdose deaths than from car accidents.

An undisputed truth exists: Substance use disorders are growing and are significantly worse than they were in the past. Many drugs, including street marijuana are laced with fentanyl and other substances. Today taking drugs is like playing Russian roulette, only all of the chambers are loaded. There is an 80 percent chance that those who take drugs may have a psychotic episode or worse, die from ingesting fentanyl.

Michal Osteen lost her 29-year-old son, Ari, last November to an accidental overdose. She has shared on Facebook and in J Life magazine (Spring 2021 edition) her agonizing story. Ari had been clean for a long time. However, to ease his anxiety, he took a drug that was laced with Acetyl-fentanyl (fentanyl times six). He died instantly. That was all it took. Ari's autopsy showed there were no other drugs in his system. Young adults experimenting with drugs have no idea what they contain and they maybe laced with this dangerous drug.

Still there's a stigma against substance use disorders within our Jewish community, just as there is in the society at large. Substance use disorders are seen as a shanda, and as result, they are not talked about openly within Jewish community. This results in both the Jewish person who is struggling with substance use disorders and their family going to great lengths to hide their problems. Realizing that statistically, only 10 percent of the general population of those with substance use disorders will receive treatment, the percentages may be lower with Jewish users.

Substance use disorders are seen as a moral failing or character flaw, despite overwhelming evidence that it's an illness not unlike diabetes or other chronic illnesses. A substance use disorder is defined as a disease by most medical associations, including the American Medical Association and the American Society of Addiction Medicine. Scientist estimate that genetic factors account for 40 to 60 percent of a person's vulnerability to substance use disorders.

The fight to end the stigma has been multifaceted and can be found in many manifestations. One of the more subtle actions is that the former, more emotionally-laden and stigmatizing terms of "addiction" and "abuse" have been replaced in the professional community with the more descriptive and more accurate term of "substance use disorders."

Accidental overdose is reaching epidemic proportions. Since the pandemic lockdown deaths from overdoses has increased by 43 percent.

NARCAN® is an antidote for an opioid overdose. It is approved for civilian use and can save a life. Project Opioid is providing NARCAN® to participants in this program at no charge. They will be handing out packages of two doses. For those attending via Zoom, NARCAN® will be made available through their website Projectopioid.org.

B'ri'ut was formed by leaders in the Jewish community - rabbis, cantors, educators and executive directors from 14 local Jewish organizations - to educate the community about substance use disorders. An initial meeting was held in March in which certified and licensed clinical psychologists provided orientation and education about how to recognize substance use disorders and how to treat them. This was followed by a second presentation held for agency and organization leaders who have the most contact with people who may have substance use disorders, to give them the tools and strategies to help others seek and find professional help.

These leaders want to share this information with the community because it is a Jewish community problem. The Talmud teaches, "He who saves a single life, saves the world entire." (Jewinthecity.com/2013)

B'ri'ut will host this community-wide meeting on Thursday, May 27, at 7–8:30 p.m., in-person at The Roth Family Jewish Community Center and virtually via Zoom. A panel comprised of Michal Osteen, Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma, Houston Spore of Project Opioid, and recovering users Jonathan Lebron and Dr. Biff Kramer will discuss the issue of substance use disorders within our Jewish community. Michal Osteen will share her perspective on this issue in light of her personal loss. Ashlyn Douglass-Barnes, LCSW, clinical director of Jewish Family Services will moderate the discussion. This will be an educational session for all members of the community, individuals, families with children, middle-school and high-school teenagers, college students, and seniors. Everyone is invited and encouraged to attend this free and important meeting.

In-person registration is limited to 50 people due to COVID restrictions. For more information, contact Marisa at The Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando at 407-645-5933.

Registration is required for both live and Zoom. Registration link and additional information can be found at JFGO.org. Look under "This Week's Events."

Please see a related article on JFS Orlando's substance use disorder counseling.

The registration link is https://orlandojewishfed.secure.force.com/default/CnP_PaaS_EVT__ExternalRegistrationPage?event_id=a2d2L0000017FILQA2