SEVERAL NORTH SHORE TOWNS HAVE PREVIOUSLY INSTALLED PROGRAMS

In the wake of a report showing a high number of opiate-related
hospitalizations, many area communities are rallying to find solutions
to the growing problem.

The Northeast Center for Healthy Communities (NCHC) conducted the
study that amassed crude rates (per 100,000) for opiate-related
incidents for 2003-2005. The NCHC study was based on data obtained
from the state Department of Public Health Massachusetts Community
Health Information Profile (MassCHIP). The data reflects residents of
the community, not incidents in the community, meaning that
hospitalizations occurring in communities other than the patient's
hometown are still counted against the hometown.

According to the NCHC interpretation of the MassCHIP data, Saugus
outranked communities such as Lynn, Everett, Salisbury, Lawrence and
Lowell in the number of residents who were hospitalized for
opiate-related incidents.

Based on a per-100,000 rate, Saugus had 521.28 hospitalizations. Lynn
came in second with 421.99, followed by Medford with 403.36. Peabody,
Wakefield and Nahant also made the top 10 list with 257.02, 244.13 and
267.64 respectively. The numbers are cumulative for a three-year
period from 2003 through 2005.

Oxycontin abuse, which is commonly followed by heroin abuse, often
starts in school-aged children who either steal prescriptions from
their parents, are introduced to painkillers while playing sports or
are simply enticed into trying drugs through peer pressure.

While the Drug and Alcohol Resistance Education (DARE) program is no
longer funded by the police department in the Lynn schools, the city
has included drug abuse prevention and education as part of its health
curriculum, and it is a vital part of education, especially in
elementary schools. There are programs in place by both the District
Attorney and Lynn Police at several schools, including the Marshall
Middle School where students learn to "make good choices" when it
comes to drugs, alcohol and gangs.

For older students who may be already struggling with addiction or
temptation, Superintendent Nicholas Kostan said guidance and health
counselors are always available and always seeking out at-risk students.

"We make sure our teachers are always talking about the dangers of
doing drugs and it is a big part of our health curriculum," said
Kostan. "We have guidance counselors available for kids who may be
having a problem and they are always available to provide support for
our students."

According to the report, Nahant had 29 individuals hospitalized for
opiate-related issues from 2003 through 2005, but not all town
officials are convinced the data is accurate. Nahant Police Lt. Thomas
F. Hutton said even one hospitalization is too many, but he also
questioned whether the report is accurate.

"Police and fire are the front lines," he said. "We respond to all
medical aid calls in town and I find it hard to believe there have
been 29 overdoses in three years. I just don't see it."

Nahant Town Administrator Mark Cullinan, who has not seen the report,
said his initial reaction is the methodology used to compile the
report may be skewed.

"This (opiate hospitalizations) isn't something that has been brought
to my attention by police, fire, schools or parents," he said. "I
think it's the curse of small numbers. We have a small population so
even two or three hospitalizations could skew the results."

Even though Swampscott was on the lower end of the scale with 134.43
hospitalizations per 100,000, town officials are still concerned.

Swampscott Police Chief Ronald Madigan said it is something the
community has been addressing for several years.

"Everyone is touched by this problem nowadays," he said. "OxyContin is
clearly a problem. We are committed to working with parents and the
school department on this issue."

Peabody, who ranked eighth on the list of highest crude rates for
opiate-related hospitalizations, has long been battling their numbers.
Much of their efforts began in 2004 after Jeff Allison, a former
Peabody baseball all-star and Florida Marlins first-round draft pick,
nearly died from a heroin overdose. Allison later admitted that he had
been struggling with addiction for quite some time.

"We had a wake up call," said Mayor Michael Bonfanti, who began
spearheading the fight for grants to fund substance abuse programs
throughout the city. In years past, the city has held various
parent-focused seminars, as well as those for youths. Drug abuse and
prevention has also been incorporated into the school health
curriculum. And, just recently, the city kicked off the Peabody Health
Collaborative to address and attack the need to combat the frightening
trend that Bonfanti said is "robbing (youth) of their future."

Having not seen the report, Bonfanti took the facts with a grain of
salt, explaining that he'd have to really look at it and analyze where
the data came from and what it really means. He showed signs of
hesitation to truly believe the report because of the possibility of
skewed data, such as other communities perhaps not reporting incidents
as frequently as Peabody.

Regardless, Bonfanti hopes to increase awareness and prevent future
cases.

"Of course we're concerned," he said. "We wouldn't be doing this if we
weren't."

For years, District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett has worked with local
and state-level officials on prevention and education programs to help
combat the use of opiates, specifically OxyContin, in teenagers and
young adults in Essex County.

According to numbers released by Blodgett and Essex County Sheriff
Frank Cousins, the drug task force seized over 13,000 OxyContin pills
in 2005 alone.

Through the Essex County Drug Task Force, Blodgett's office works to
raise awareness in schools and youth groups, while simultaneously
looking to remove the drugs from the streets and provide treatment for
those who are addicted.

The Task Force opened a 54-bed treatment facility at the Essex County
Sheriff's Department in 2005, giving addicts an opportunity to live
inside the treatment center and reform through a therapeutic-based
curriculum to treat and modify the behavior of substance abusers in
prison and on work release.

NCHC is part of the Greater Lawrence Family Health Center and is
funded through the Massachusetts Department of Public Health Bureau of
Substance Abuse Services.