Shayne Grant: Opioid Crisis: Childhood friends die on same day

      19-year old Dustin Manning was found dead in his room on May 26 by his Father Greg Manning. The toxin report showed that Dustin had died of an overdose of an opioid mixture of heroin and fentanyl. The amount was less than 3 grains of salt. 50 minutes later, only half a mile down the road, 18-year old Joseph Abraham was found dead in his home of the same cause as Manning. The two boys were both childhood friends that had slowly grown apart over the years. However they both started to experiment with drugs in middle school due to their own personal tragedies. Parents of both children say that their sons had gone to rehab however the treatment only lasted for 35 days while it can take up to five years to get over an opioid addiction. The longer the treatment, the higher the success rate. The devastated parents now attend a support group for parents who have also lost their children due to an overdose. They say that the group number rises every month. The parents are also campaigning for stronger laws on drug dealers and want to bring more awareness to the situation.

     The loss of these two children is a devastating incident. My heart goes out to their parents and all other parents who have gone through similar situations. These incidents seem to happen constantly with even our own Booker T. family being affected by this. Treatment needs to be greater for those who are going through addiction because the system that is in place right now has proven to be ineffective. Also I think more education needs to be shed on this issue; not just to high schoolers but to middle and elementary schools. As seen in Dustin's case, he was already addicted by age 12. Harsher laws need to also be in place for those who knowingly deal these dangerous drugs. The people who are dealing the fatal substances are committing a type of murder and should be recognized for it. But the biggest thing is to give support to all of those affected by these great tragedies.

http://www.cnn.com/2017/10/29/health/opioid-fentanyl-childhood-friends/index.html