The Year in Review: #1 The drug crisis

Jan. 02--In 2018, there have been stories that have captivated, stories that have divided, stories that have united and stories that have warmed hearts. But the one story that stood out to The Mountaineer staff as being most important this year was the drug crisis, as well as steps taken by local leadership to combat it.

It's hard to find a single person or place in Haywood County untouched by the long tentacles of the opioid crisis, and likewise, those in the trenches say it will take the entire community to combat it.

One of the newest considerations in the fight against addiction -- opioid and otherwise -- has been harm reduction, which largely focuses on preventing issues that can arise from drug use, particularly intravenous drug use. These issues range from overdoses to the transmission of communicable diseases. But while harm reduction is becoming a priority, local law enforcement has still worked to keep the dealers and traffickers off the streets.

In Haywood County, law enforcement has been more proactive than most other places in the state and even the country when it comes to enforcing drug laws, as well as enhancing treatment options.

Sheriff Greg Christopher has been among the local leaders whose voice is being heard in Raleigh. In an email sent from his office, it was stated that the Criminal Suppression Unit and narcotics divisions will continue to work to stem the flow of drugs into the county while also expanding patrol and community engagement efforts.

But that's not all.

"We really hope the new addition of two, full-time peer support specialists (through the Pathways grant) will bring some strong information to light about root causes of recidivism in our facility while bringing recovery awareness to inmates," the email reads.

The email continues to say Christopher is committed to finding new ways to educate children and adults alike to the dangers and pitfalls of drug use.

"We are exploring ways to possibly organize a class for every person in Haywood Countywho is convicted of a drug offense to attend," the email reads. "Our goal for the class is this: for the information to be evidence-based data provided by our various community partners, focusing on short and long-term health effects of various narcotics. We also will integrate information from peer support specialists to lay out various resources for attendees."

LEADing the way

Another man who has been a leader both in Haywood County and Raleigh in the fight against the drug crisis has been Waynesville Police Chief Bill Hollingsed. This year, Hollingsed's department began the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program, which is modeled after similar programs in other cities that have been successful.

LEAD spares nonviolent drug offenders incarceration, while offering treatment opportunities. If the offender takes advantage of those opportunities, they will have a chance to get their life back on track. If they don't, they will receive jail time.

"Any time we can get people into treatment to stop the cycle of addiction, we consider that a success," he said. "Obviously it's a very long-term process. Opioid addiction is a tough addiction to break."

Hollingsed also noted that his department has also been following up with people who have overdosed, letting them know their treatment options. While the program is still young, he said he believes the results have already been positive.

"That has been the model for other places looking at the same program," he said.

But while there are programs to help people find a way out of addiction, both law enforcement and District Attorney Ashley Welch have been adamant that they are going to keep going after the traffickers and dealers. In fact, just in December, Welch accepted a guilty plea from known drug dealer James Dotson on a second-degree murder by unlawful distribution of a controlled substance charge, a conviction that was the first of its kind in the county as far as Welch knew.

"I just took a firm stance and said absolutely not ... there are some cases that a jury needs to decide," she said following his plea. "We knew it was going to be tricky to prove from the get go, but on principle's sake, we needed to go for it."

Sentencing reform

As many who work in the justice system in North Carolina and beyond have said, sentencing reform is a large part of ensuring addicts get the help they need instead of just prison time. Senator Jim Davis, who represents Haywood County, has been a leader in the fight against the opioid crisis, cosponsoring the STOP Act in 2017 and the HOPE Act in 2018.

In addition to setting aside $10 million for treatment, the HOPE Act gives law enforcement access to the Controlled Substance Reporting System, which tracks who gets prescribed what drugs and from whom.

"In order to have access to the Controlled Substance Reporting System, an officer has to be certified and be supervised by someone who is certified," he noted.

Davis is also the chair of the state's task force for opioid sentencing reform. He said to look for some big changes in 2019. Specifically, he submitted legislation that allows for consideration for nonviolent, non-dealer offenders to be pushed toward treatment rather than incarceration.

"We can't arrest our way out of this problem," he said, repeating the common refrain heard from those close to the opioid crisis.

He said the legislation, which he feels confident will have bipartisan support after being introduced in February, received heavy input from a number of stakeholders and will give district attorneys and judges more leeway when determining sentencing for drug offenses, including trafficking, which currently comes with hefty mandatory minimum sentence and fine.

"Our goal mainly is to revise the sentencing for opioid convictions, to drive people toward treatment," he said.

The fight ahead

Looking even further into the future, there is still much work to be done, and given the incredibly low recovery rates for opioid and methamphetamine addiction, all signs point to prevention as being the next and hopefully final frontier.

One of the leaders in the effort to raise awareness of the dangers of addiction is Jean Parris, who is becoming more and more well-known in the county for her tireless efforts as the coordinator of the Drugs in our Midst program, which began in 2011 and aims to educate youth before they encounter opportunities for addiction.

"When we started the drug program, it was pills we saw," she said. "The opioids were the big thing that we're losing lives over, kids and adults."

But now, the trend has moved toward more dangerous drugs such as heroin and even fentanyl.

Parris said she wants to establish a way to determine how many kids are using drugs and whether fewer kids are using because of her program. Parris has worked with members of the North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition and others on various initiatives as well, including syringe exchange and Narcan distribution programs.

"I personally have been in much of the county distributing Narcan," she said. "And most of the churches in Canton have Narcan."

While there has been a focus on harm reduction and treatment in recent years, which many consider to be a step in the right direction, most agree that the true way to root out the problem is via community solutions, which includes a better understanding of how affordable housing, livable wages and mental health treatment options may prevent addiction.

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