Addiction is the real health crisis in NJ

With overdose deaths higher in NJ than the national average and communities struggling to keep pace with dealers and young users, it's time to do something different. Narcan is being deployed across the state, but in so many cases addicts are treated, released and then treated again sometimes on the same day.

It's clear the government has no ability to actually fight against the trend of young people obtaining, using and then becoming addicted to harmful drugs like heroin. Politicians talk a good game, grabbing headlines and holding emotional press conferences, but over the past decade the problem has gotten worse, not better.

Enter the real heroes in the war against addiction. Local Cops and groups like CFC Loud-N-Clear. Our last #BlueFriday recognized the partnership with local cops, and we've honored the Howell PD led by Chief Andrew Kudrick, for partnering with CFC to save lives. Daniel Regan was addicted and in and out of rehab until his mom, Lynn, was finally able to save him, chasing him to California. Hear the emotional story in our #SpeakingPodcast #55.

The Regan family got together and not only saved Daniel, who is now nine years sober, but they started a group to help others. Intervention, recovery and sober living. CFC Loud-N-Clear has a 95% success rate after years of bringing people through the journey of recovery.

The takeaway from my ongoing conversations with them is that you can defeat addiction. That's right, win. They have now expanded to outpatient care and have a new facility with doctors on board. The only problem is that they have been waiting for more than a year for the paperwork to get through the bureaucracy in Trenton.

Can you imagine?

People are dying daily and the pols keep talking, all the while their very own bureaucracy is preventing a life saving clinic from opening. Enough. we have people ready, willing and able to step in and help. Government needs to empower them not hold them back.

Bill Spadea is on the air weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m., talkin’ Jersey, taking your calls at 1-800-283-1015. Tweet him @NJ1015 or @BillSpadea. The opinions expressed here are solely those of Bill Spadea.

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