MEETING NOTES

Jeff Breiler introduced his sister and brother-in-law, Mike and Becky Savage, to inform the Club of the 525 Foundation set up in memory of their sons, Nick and Jack Savage, who died in their sleep after taking prescription pain killers with alcohol at a party.  This tragedy was our community’s wake-up call to the abuse of prescription pain killers mixed with alcohol that kills after just one use.  Nick and Jack were honor students and hockey captains at Penn High School that were found dead in their beds by their mother on Sunday, June 14, 2015.  The heartache in this segment of the presentation was overwhelming. 

The second part was a panel discussion directed by Kayla Miller to:  Dr. Kristin Tawardos, a child psychologist; Dave Wells, Commander of the new Drug Investigations Unit through the St. Joe County Prosecutor’s Office; Ken Cotter, St. Joe County Prosecutor, and Amy Cressy from the new Drug Investigations Unit through the Prosecutor’s Office. 

Dr. Tawardos’ insights on how two honor students could make such a deadly choice drove home the fact that the frontal lobe of the brain is not fully developed until the age of 25; and it is most affected by drugs and alcohol.  When speaking with young people, it is important to emphasize that even though alcohol and in some cases marijuana is legal, for adolescents, a drug is a drug is a drug.  It is also incumbent on parents to know who, what, where and why their children are involved with. 

Dave Wells explained that the over prescription of pain killers like Oxycoten is becoming the gateway to heroin addiction. It is an epidemic and the cause of most robberies and home invasions.  He strongly urged that meds be secured and then brought to pill drops so they don’t fall into the wrong hands.  He also cited the use of Narcan to reduce the deaths from heroin overdoses, and that if an addict is in a household, someone gets certified to administer Narcan through D.O.P.E.

Ken Cotter and Amy Cressy related that in 2015 there were 59 deaths from overdoses, more than the 2015 homicides and automobile deaths combined.  Also in 2015, Memorial Hospital’s E.R. treated over 380 drug overdoses.  Ken emphasized the need for physicians to be educated in the dangers of over-prescribing pain killers and the devastation it is causing in the community.  Our community is in need of In-patient Medical Treatment Facilities to help addicts with withdrawal.  Amy indicated that her unit is designed to gather Intel to put the dealers in jail.  She also said that treatment centers were needed for the indigent.

The aspects of the panel and the Savage’s presentations were to bring awareness, encourage education, and parental supervision, so that no family has to endure their heartbreak from losing their sons.