For the past 10 years, Charlestown Against Drugs has provided new coats, hats and gloves for children. Last year, CHAD supplied over 200 children with these items. CHAD is asking for any donation so that we can continue to offer winter clothing for children that reside in Charlestown. A $30 donation will buy a coat, hat and gloves for a Charlestown family in need.
Donation can be mailed to:
Charlestown Against Drugs
P.O. Box 35
Charlestown, MA 02129

The Charlestown Substance Abuse Coalition Praises Boston’s New Tobacco Policies
Community Supports Restrictions on Sales to Minors

New tobacco policies passed by the Boston Public Health Commission’s Board of Health on Thursday, December 1st take important steps to expand restrictions on minors accessing tobacco and nicotine delivery products. The Charlestown Substance Abuse Coalition (CSAC), a member of the Boston Alliance for Community Health (BACH), played an active role in conveying community support. BACH collectively submitted over 400 signatures in support of these policy changes. 

CSAC, a program of the MGH Center for Community Health Improvement, is a community-based coalition of residents, businesses, organizations, professionals, and advocates who work together to reduce substance abuse in Charlestown. Through a unified, collaborative approach, the coalition utilizes existing community resources, organizes programs to identify needs, and harnesses the energy and commitment of all to provide a safe, healthy environment in Charlestown.

“The best way of reducing youth smoking is to have comprehensive tobacco control policies in place that apply to the whole population,” said CSAC Youth Prevention Director, Sarah Coughlin. “With our youth prevention efforts in Charlestown, we are working hard to build new and strengthen existing protective factors as well as reverse or reduce risk factors in our youth and these policy changes are completely inline with our efforts.”

Since 90% of adult smokers start using tobacco before their 18th birthday, policies that make it more difficult for youth to acquire tobacco and nicotine products are important. Existing regulations allow for youth of any age to purchase electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), which contain even more nicotine than a normal cigarette. The new Boston regulation will restrict the sale of electronic cigarettes to those 18 and over, and require a permit to sell the product. Additionally, Boston’s new tobacco control policies prohibit the sale of loose mini cigars or cigarillos, requiring them to be sold minimally in a package of five. Affordability plays a significant role in youth consumption of tobacco products. Prior to this regulation, mini cigars have been available in Boston for as little as $0.50 each, making them an inexpensive alternative to cigarettes. Additionally, the Board of Health approved a proposal to treat e-cigarettes like tobacco products, including requiring retail establishments to obtain a permit to sell them, prohibiting their use in the workplace, and restricting their sale to adults only. The e-cigarette restrictions will take effect immediately; the new cigar packaging regulation goes into effect in 60 days after the December 1st vote, on January 31, 2012.

Sarah Coughlin recently joined CSAC as Youth Prevention Director.

Coughlin is a licensed social worker and the former district based clinical social worker for Youth Connect in Charlestown. In her new position, Coughlin oversees all aspects of implementing the All Stars and LifeSkills Curricula in the Warren Prescott and the Clarence Edwards Schools in Charlestown. She also will help run all of CSAC’s Youth Prevention efforts and activities.

Currently, she is recruiting Charlestown parents and their youth to participate in a survey that will help to create an online resource for parents on how to communicate with your youth around challenging subjects such as substance abuse.

“CSAC is pleased to have someone of Sarah’s skills and background working with our youth in Charlestown,” said CSAC Director Beth Rosenshein. “Sarah knows the Charlestown community well and appreciates CSAC’s efforts to provide a safe and health environment for all of its residents.”

[Copy adapted from charlestown.patch.com]

• 3rd Annual Candlelight Vigil
• CHAD Sober Cookout: Sunday, 9/25/11, Eden Street Park, 1-4PM.  Music, Food, Fellowship.  This is a free event.
• Recovery Day at the State House, 9/26/11, 9AM-4PM.

For more information, please contact Shannon Lundin at 617-320-9058.

Third Annual Charlestown Candlelight Vigil sponsored by Charlestown Against Drugs (CHAD).  This vigil is to remember those who lost their battle with drugs and alcohol and to give hope to those struggling with addiction.  Saturday, September 17th, 2011, Hayes Square at 6:30 PM.  For more information including how to include a picture of your loved one in the vigil, please contact Shannon Lundin (617) 320-9058.

Dedicated in memory of my cousin Meaghan.

On Monday I had the honor and the awful task all in one, of giving the eulogy for my beautiful younger cousin Meaghan.

Like many before her, she suffered from a terrible disease called addiction. Writing her eulogy was one of the more difficult tasks I've ever undertaken.

As many readers of this column know, about once a week I sit down and offer my analysis of what's transpiring in the world. Sometimes I use humor, fictional settings to prove an overall point and at others, I simply articulate my argument and let it rip. Today, I am gonna let it rip. 

Addiction is a disease that some people have a problem calling a disease. Understandably, people have a hard time looking at the actions of an addict and attributing the same sympathy as they would for someone who has cancer or something as equally horrific. The argument can seem valid when stated like this, “People choose to do drugs, people don’t choose to get diabetes or cancer.”

When pontificated like that, sure, no argument here. The act is certainly an act of self-involvement, unlike any other disease that naturally and tragically manifests itself through someone’s body. But let us look at it from this vantage point. How many people actually make the "choice" to become an alcoholic or addict? I mean, is it truly a conscious choice to destroy one’s life, completely counter to our natural human instinct, which dictates we try and live and thrive? I would argue, no -- no one makes that choice. And medical opinion is clearly on my side here.

Another bias against people hooked on illicit drugs is the concept of where they live or what nationality they might be. In the 1980s, the image of a “crackhead” was most notably an African American male in the projects of New York City. Today, the image of an “oxy-junkie” or heroin addict is much harder to define, and this is good. When the oxy epidemic started about 10 years ago, a lot of media in the greater Boston area focused their attention on South Boston and Charlestown. In my opinion, this halted proper discussion and reinforced negative stereotypes people had about those two neighborhoods -- and did not cover the true problem of the epidemic.

For example, if a person living in say, Wakefield, saw coverage of the oxy epidemic, which included people robbing pharmacies, overdosing or doing other nasty things that are affiliated with addiction, what would they think of it? Would they recognize this problem for what it was? Or would they view it as something they are removed from? Subtly, how could they look at the epidemic any differently than their former opinions about two neighborhoods that already have a colorful criminal past? It would be easy for that person in Wakefield watching the coverage to assume it is simply an “inner city” problem or people from Charlestown and Southie are just “born crazy.”

But, here is what made this horrific epidemic a truly genuine nightmare. Although the media initially tried to format the oxy epidemic into a crazy Charlestown or Southie issue, because it draws better ratings and is simply easier to report on that way, that same person from Wakefield started noticing that his daughter or son was acting strange. Money missing, erratic behavior, etc. was becoming commonplace and, at times, seemed eerily similar to the symptoms he or she heard on the news about the “crazy people” in the city.  Eventually, the problem was realized and hopefully they sought help and didn’t have to endure what my aunt and uncle are enduring this morning.

Another common misconception is recovery for heroin addicts is impossible or even still a taboo subject. Most successful people who recover from that fight try and hide the fact it was ever a part of who they were. People in certain professions will try and distance themselves from any association from the nasty drug of oxycontin or heroin. I know what this stigma is like, having felt it on many occasions around so many so-called "successful people.” Understably, if one has not had to deal with a heroin addict, it would be easy for them to have a negative opinion, because how many people who are deemed “successful” by society have actually been known to be a former addict in recovery? 

Because of this stigma, people in recovery will try and distance themselves from their past because of the fear of what colleagues may think of them and fear of possible professional advancement. But as a society, we must continually progress -- nobody should ever be ashamed of battling addiction and overcoming it. In fact, the story should be told, if the person feels comfortable, so that struggling addicts and unaware or biased adults can see that recovery from a nasty fight from heroin is possible.

As some of you know, I had the pleasure of serving Charlestown as the mayor’s liaison for the past four years. Because of being associated with the mayor of Boston, I was able to meet some famous politicians, athletes and other assorted high-profile individuals. Moreover, I worked with many successful lawyers, developers, marketers and successful professional people who, like myself, were working hard and trying to take the career or life to the next level. Often I would attend corporate parties where alcohol flowed faster than the conversation. When offered, I always politely declined and at times, some people demanded why they never saw me drink at any of these events, even though “I was so young, and seemed like someone who would love to drink.” 

Usually, I took the politically-correct high road and just said I had to drive or some other excuse to avoid the topic. But, when I wanted to liven up the sometimes boring small talk at these events, I would say flat-out that I wasn’t drinking because I’m in recovery and used to struggle with an addiction to heroin. Most people were nice and supportive, but occasionally there were some rude responses.  One particular occasion a person asked “if the people of Charlestown and the mayor had known about my ‘bad’ past” and if not, “did I ‘lie’ in the interview process to get the job?” To which I stated, “maybe, I’m not sure, but hopefully they don’t. I do not want them as intrigued about my past as much as you are because it is already hard enough to walk down the street.” 

The point of this whole column is this: being in recovery is not a bad thing and you can be successful after a battle with heroin. Here is what this former addict has accomplished: Former Charlestown liaison, I have a successful DJ business, I'm a condo owner, I drive a nice car, I'm an elected delegate for the historic 2008 Democratic National Convention with 92 percent of the vote, I'm a published writer and there is more to come.

Someone once told me that since I work in a political environment, shouldn’t I "hide" what I was? Or what if I wanted to run one day, wouldn’t this hurt my chances? Maybe it would, but I don’t care. I am not ashamed of what I was. I have a disease and fight it every day. I am very successful while fighting it and have a good life. There is hope and a light from all the pain. I want people to see that a local successful public person can win this battle and join all of the other "successful" people.

That was for you Meaghan!

This Wednesday (7/6) at the Doherty Playground (at dusk)
Charlestown Against Drugs "Off The Wall" Summer Movie Night In The Park.

The annual Charlestown Against Drugs (CHAD) March will take place on Monday, June 6th at 6:00 pm.  All supporters will meet at the Charlestown Police Station, 20 Vine Street at Bunker Hill Street. The march will step off at the police station, continue along Bunker Hill Street to the Charlestown Community Center on Medford Street.  At the end of the march, the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department will be on hand with its Ident-A-Youth Program for children at the community center. All marchers will be given first opportunity for the raffles, hotdogs & ID program.  See the CHAD March flyer here.

CSAC is looking to fill the position of Youth Prevention Director.  The job description can be downloaded from here.

Saturday, April 30 from 10 AM to 2 PM at the Boston Police Department District A-1 Charlestown Station (20 Vine St., Hayes Square).  Please blacken out/remove any personal information on pill bottles (leave name of medication); if not in bottles, place in sealable plastic bags; put all sharps in containers or sturdy bottles.  This is totally anonymous - no questions asked, no names taken.  In partnership with CSAC, BPD, and the US Department of Justice DEA.  Look for the next Safe Disposal Day in June at the Charlestown Open Market during Charlestown Pride Week.