North Reading Drug Awareness Seminar

Participating community members have recognized the seriousness of the drug epidemic both locally and regionally and have designed this seminar to better inform local residents of potential dangers to our youth, our community, and to better equip residents with the proper resources which are necessary to address the problem on a community wide basis. The seminar has been created specifically for local parents because of the recent increased risks that are currently facing the youth of our community.

The seminar will include speakers from various relevant disciplines to include local law enforcement, the United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), the Massachusetts District Court Probation Department, medical drug treatment professionals and local youth services as well as families whose lives have been affected by opiate addiction. Topics will include the state of the current drug epidemic in North Reading and the particular risks that our local youth are facing, as well as the recent relevant history of the drug problem in our community, a federal perspective of the region’s drug epidemic to include the threat of prescription drug diversion, the role of the criminal courts and probation in fighting the regional drug problem, the physical and psychological effects of opiate and synthetic opiate addiction on individuals, treatment options and resources that are currently available, as well as services and resources that are available both locally and regionally to assist the community in fighting back against this particular drug threat.

Residents can send questions to nrcommunityimpactteam@gmail.com and their questions will be addressed on the night of the event.