Beyond prayers for opioid ills
Last Sunday, over 71,000 people gathered in NRG Park — the 10th largest stadium in the NFL — to see our Texans play the Buffalo Bills. In 2017, a population the size of the entire attendance of last week’s gameand then some — over 72,000 people — died from a drug overdose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
As leaders of various faith communities throughout Houston, many of us gather on Sunday and see firsthand the effects of substance use disorders in our communities. Families grappling with a loved one who is suffering, individuals fighting to stay in recovery and too many uncertain of where to turn to get help.
One of the most urgent crises facing our community and the nation is the rise of overdose deaths from legal and illegal opioids, including painkillers, heroin and fentanyl — a more potent opioid that is usually mixed with other drugs. From 2015 to 2017, the number of deaths by heroin overdose in Harris County rose by 88 percent; overdose deaths by fentanyl in Harris County rose by more than 600 percent from 2012 to 2017.
This is an epidemic, and we are all affected by it. We all know someone who is suffering from a substance use disorder, whether we’re aware of it or not. We all have a role to play in fighting this epidemic and creating a community of support.
This is why we — a diverse group of faith leaders from across greater Houston — have come together. Earlier this year we were invited to an ecumenical process addressing the opioid epidemic, convened by the Clinton Foundation, the Institute for Spirituality and Health, and the Council on Recovery. We recognize that addressing this issue will require leaders like us, working across faith traditions, to speak in one collective voice.
Religious leaders and faith communities claim the allegiance of billions of believers around the world and bridge the divides of race, class and geography. In a city such as Houston where more than 4.9 million people identify as actively religious, faith leaders have the unique ability to influence community-level attitudes and practices.
Communities of faith are positioned to help influence the attitudes that so often contribute to inequities. With stigma being one of the greatest barriers to effectively fighting this epidemic, we want people across our community to know that there is help available to you or someone in your family who is struggling with the disease of addiction.
Our work together starts now, and there’s a way that everyone can contribute — whether you’re in one of our congregations, in a different community of faith, or nontheistic. Next week on Oct. 27, we are working together to participate in the Drug Enforcement Agency’s National Prescription Drug Take Back event. Nationally, 11.5 million people report misusing prescription pain relievers, and 53 percent of these stated they received the drugs from a friend or relative, often from the home medicine cabinet.
This national problem represents a collective local challenge but also an opportunity. These events taking place in communities across America are an important way for citizens to safely remove unused or unneeded medications from the home and reduce risk of misuse and unintentional poisoning. If you have unused or expired medication, bring them to one of the designated locations available on the DEA website to be a part of this life-saving event and help us ensure the success of the event by telling your congregants, colleagues and neighbors to do the same. Those who are unable to attend the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Oct. 27 but would like to make their homes and communities safer can find information about controlled substance disposal locations that accept unwanted prescription medications from the public yearround.
This is just the beginning. We recognize that the community’s work must be sustained and include everyone from the medical and helping professions, law enforcement and first responders, the legal and criminal court perspectives, as well as persons in long-term recovery who can share their hope, strength and experience with all of us. We believe that as faith leaders, everyone teachesand everyone learns.
Every member of our community has a role in fighting this opioid epidemic.