McClements: Acknowledge drug users' 'humanity'

Posted

Jordan McClements is a writer, composition/literature instructor and recovering heroin survivor, as well as a Master of Fine Arts student at Columbia College Chicago. He resides in Felton.

We keep reframing ideas we know won’t solve the overdose crisis because we can’t acknowledge the humanity of drug users.

The secret?

We’re ashamed of it.

We don’t know how to solve the overdose crisis.

Our experts don’t know how to solve the overdose crisis.

Our politicians don’t know how to solve the overdose crisis.

If we’re all waiting on another statistic or expert to frame the overdose crisis, we’re not acting.

Our media loves to write about the overdose crisis with the aid of statistics, and experts, but statistics and experts are rhetoric that only repackages the stigma against drug use and drug users.

Consequently, we turn drug users into the other: The next death to overdose: We frame as a statistic. We think we know who uses and doesn’t use drugs in our life.

We don’t. Yet, when we think about it, we do know who uses drugs in our life, but it all hits after, we are told to be quiet about their overdose.

Many people that die at a younger age of natural causes die from overdose. I’ve experienced this many times from loved ones, and strangers that I shot speedballs with.

The family didn’t want the stigma of drug use to supposedly tarnish the memory of their loved one who died.

Reframing someone’s death to overdose is understandable, but it has rippling consequences for all of us, including the family and how they grieve, and affects us all.

How are we going to have a conversation with ourselves and our loved ones, when we deny reality?

The reality of overdose.

By denying the reality of overdose, we maintain the overdose crisis.

We maintain the poisoned supply that kills all of us, Delaware.

Yet, if we’re looking for the salvation of not letting what happened to our loved one, happen to another person, we have to talk about overdose.

We have to talk about our loved one who overdosed and lived.

We have to talk about our loved one who overdosed and died.

Our media need to interview drug users on how drug users can be helped, and how the overdose crisis can be stopped.

Politicians need to listen to drug users.

But politicians aren’t the only people to worry about.

We all are killers.

Our inaction kills.

Our inaction will continue to kill until we listen to drug users and implement their solution to the overdose crisis because we don’t have the answers.

We’re running out of time.

We’re next.

Our loved ones?

Next.

Strangers?

Next.

Every single day.

We need to relinquish our ego and power, and implement solutions from the only people with lived experience:

Drug users are the answer to the overdose crisis.

Don’t believe me.

You’re next.

I’m next.

We’re all next.

We don’t have the answers to the overdose crisis.

The answers to the overdose crisis are the people who live on the frontlines of the overdose crisis.

Drug users are the answer to the overdose crisis.

Anytime someone that is not a drug user comments on the overdose crisis, their framing creates a stigma we view drug users through.

We talk about the overdose crisis, all the time, yet we do nothing about the overdose crisis.

Why?

Because it’s easy to say:

“It’s not my problem.”

But the overdose crisis is your problem.

The overdose crisis is all of our problems.

We create the world that creates:

Drug use.

Overdose

Poisoned Supply.

Stigma of drug use and drug users.

If we think we’re going to solve the overdose crisis without drug users’ help, we are going to elevate the body count that we all pass off, as if drug use is a moral question.

Drug use isn’t a moral question.

Drug use is a reaction to the world we create.

This isn’t either/or.

This is reality.

Instead of treating drug users as an interview subject we look away from, we need to hear drug users, and be quiet.

Our media, needs to interview drug users as the primary voice of understanding the overdose crisis and how to save lives:

Now.

The state of Delaware doesn’t have the answers to the overdose crisis.

The federal government doesn’t have the answers to the overdose crisis.

Drug users have the answers to the overdose crisis.

Treat drug users with respect:

It could be you that overdoses.

It could be your loved one that overdoses.

Strangers and loved ones overdose in Delaware every day.

When are we going to do something about the overdose crisis?

It starts today.

It starts right now.

How?

After you finish this next sentence, call and write to our Delaware politicians about the Delaware overdose crisis.

I dare you.

Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.

Members and subscribers make this story possible.
You can help support non-partisan, community journalism.

x
X