Perhaps the most dynamic talk was given by DEA Agent, Jon DeLena. His talk, “Opioid Crisis in America,” was both disturbing and candid about the current horrors of opioid addiction in our own backyard. Agent DeLena has 26 years in law enforcement, and previously worked out of the DEA headquarters in Washington D.C. According to current statistics 77,000 people die of drug overdoses each year, and still more and more people are buying and using drugs.
The DEA has set-up stings to arrest those crossing the border into Massachusetts (mainly Lawrence and surrounding area), and attempting to drive product back to New Hampshire and Maine. The increase in overdoses is the use of Fentanyl because it is cheaper than the drug it is cut with. He cited one case where Fentanyl was found in the sippy cup of child who died. Just one pinch can kill an average adult. Another tragic case was a med student and nurse who ordered Molly online that ended up being fentanyl. Both overdosed.
Agent DeLena stressed the need for more prevention efforts with law enforcement, teachers, physicians, etc. pulling together to create long term solutions.
DEA Agent, Jon DeLena providing his perspective on the Opioid Crisis
Alumni & friends practice OMM during one of the CME lectures
Tamara King, PhD, Biomedical Faculty at UNE COM, presenting research on Osteoarthritis