(Long Island, NY) Assemblyman Michael Montesano (R,C,I-Glen Head) recently participated in the first-ever Heroin Educational Summit in Nassau County. The event was hosted by Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano, in conjunction with the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office, Nassau and Suffolk County Police Departments, EMS and Health officials.
The event, which was open to the public, had hundreds of community members in attendance to learn about the county’s efforts to take action against the dangerous heroin epidemic, as well as what they can do to help their loved ones who suffer from addiction. Participants learned imperative information ranging from where to direct those in need of treatment to how to properly administer Narcan to save lives.
“So many men and women, girls and boys are out there flirting with addiction, and so many of them are losing to it,” said Montesano. “Whether it’s our friends, our neighbors or our family – this abuse is affecting us in one way or another. It is imperative to take all necessary steps, from all angles, to eradicate this dangerous epidemic from our communities before more lives are lost. I was pleased to see that so many people in our community understand the importance of being educated on what they can do to help put an end to this outbreak once and for all.”
At the state level, Montesano and his colleagues in the Assembly Minority Conference have introduced measures to increase prevention and education, assist with proper detoxification, rehabilitation and recovery, and improve the criminal justice system to ensure law enforcement is equipped with the best possible tools and regulations necessary to handle overdose and addiction.
While many of the efforts unveiled by the county are similar to the Assembly Minority’s, Montesano applauded their emphasis on law enforcement involvement. The agreement between Nassau and Suffolk counties has created a joint task force comprised of narcotics detectives, supervisors and an intelligence analyst. In conjunction with county police departments, state police and federal law enforcement, as well as prosecution, the team plans to tackle the issue straight from the root of the problem, the dealers.
“As a former NYPD EMT, officer and detective, I know how terrifyingly fast these substances can travel through communities and in order to put an end to that we have to find the source,” said Montesano. “By joining forces and working with individuals and families who have been affected by overdoses, we can better track down the source and rid our streets of these dangerous substances.”
The event also touched on the importance of ending the stigma associated with individuals who have been directly impacted by addiction, and encouraged attendees to join them in their fight for awareness and recovery.
