NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. — Substance use disorder can impact anyone. In fact, about 46 million Americans are living with addiction. And though the rates of substance use in the African American and Hispanic communities are similar to the general population, these communities have experienced a sharp increase in overdoses.
“The thing I like about this picture and what it illustrates about him is his introspection, his quick wit,” said Bonni Snider as she looked over photos of her youngest son.
For Bonni, it’s difficult to talk about her son in the past tense.
“The aviator glasses were one of his signatures,” she continued.
Patrick, her son, was 33 years old when he died of an overdose in 2019.
“Part of it had a lot to do with his struggles with depression,” she explained. The news was brought to Snider by law enforcement.
“I think these words will stay seared in my brain for all eternity, but they looked at me and said, ‘Bonni, we found your son. He’s deceased,'” said Bonni. “I was trying to think, how do I get past, you know, the fact that my youngest child is now sitting on a shelf in my living room.”
According to the CDC, from 2019 to 2020, we saw a 55% increase in overdoses among African Americans and a 21% increase among Hispanics.
“There’s definitely a lack of access to care,” said Kellie Rodriguez with Pasco Alliance for Substance Addiction Prevention.
“The biggest thing that we’re seeing with overdoses across the board is fentanyl being in everything,” Rodriguez explained.
Due to the potency of fentanyl, it’s becoming harder to revive people who’ve overdosed. Narcan, an overdose reversal drug usually administered through the nose, has saved many lives.
But Rodriguez said, nowadays, one dose often just isn’t enough.
“So, people are using one and then, you know, needing to use two, three, four, and I’ve heard up to six doses of Narcan to even start to come close to reversing the overdose,” Rodiguez explained.
“Historically, we have not always seen Black and Hispanic people receive care. We have seen individuals incarcerated for having health issues, having a substance use disorder,” said Cortney Lovell with the National Council for Mental Wellbeing.
According to the NAACP, African Americans make up 5% of illicit drug users yet represent 33% of those incarcerated for drug offenses.
To take away the stigma of substance use disorder and make help to communities of color more accessible, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing has teamed up with other agencies to launch a new campaign called “Start with Hope” or “Comienza con Esperanza.”
The website, which is in English and Spanish, has a treatment locator, harm reduction advice that’s culturally relevant and recovery success stories.
“We haven’t seen enough success stories that feature people of color, that features Black and Hispanic populations. So, this is, I think, what makes our campaign so special,” said Lovell.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use disorder, here are some resources.
- Start With Hope
- Alliance for Healthy Communities
Note: This is a version of the story in Spanish
