STEVENS POINT, Wis. (WSAU) — Community leaders and concerned citizens discussed the problems with heroin and other drugs at a meeting in Stevens Point Thursday night.
It’s the Heroin Summit, which up to this point, was Portage and Wood County law enforcement, medical experts, treatment specialists, and recovering addicts discussing how to reach their communities and prevent the spread of opiate abuse.
Stevens Point Police Chief Kevin Ruder says they’re now trying to reach the community. “This is the first public session, and I hope this is, like I shared with the audience, it’s the seed that’s been planted and it’ll continue and grow from here and we’ll have more meetings in the future.”
There were 77 people in the Ben Franklin Junior High School auditorium, which didn’t look like many for such a large room. Several of the speakers including Ruder said there are many in the community that need to wake up and see what’s happening. “I think some people don’t want to believe that there’s a problem out there, but there truly is.”
One of the speakers was Pamela Lee, who is a recovering heroin addict. She told the group that without a doubt, a two-year prison sentence and treatment while incarcerated saved her life. She talked about how kids get pills and then heroin, and how it nearly killed her. Ruder says Lee’s story is not uncommon, and the community needs to deal with the problems of opiates. “When you talk to somebody like that who’s actually gone through the pains of addiction that she has, the losses that she’s suffered from the addictive nature of heroin and how it started when she was 11 years old, really hits home.”
Portage County is investigating the creation of drug courts, and ways to get someone help before they get into legal trouble.
Sheriff Mike Lukas says many of the county’s thefts and property crimes are people trying to sell stolen items to support their drug habits. He says the majority of the people in jail right now are somehow tied to a drug issue.
The Wisconsin Rapids, Marshfield and Nekoosa schools have recently had presentations from a group called Rise Together, which featured recovering addicts talking to over 3,200 students to warn them about the dangers of painkiller drugs and heroin. It was suggested that schools in Portage County consider bringing the presentation in, as well.
The Heroin Summit group will have additional meetings in the future.