Many New Yorkers are surprised to learn that unintentional drug overdose deaths have become a major problem on Staten Island — the most suburban of the city's five boroughs. That's where Mayor Bill de Blasio went to announce a new citywide effort to combat opioid addiction, as NY1's Amanda Ferinacci reports.
James Brenker, 21, had a captive audience as he told his story of addiction to some special guests at his home — Mayor de Blasio, the city's first lady, and the Staten Island Borough President.
For nearly a half hour, he talked about his struggles with heroin and prescription painkillers, how he's been in and out of rehab for five years. He's been sober for two months — this time, he says, for good.
"I don't want to be that person that's on the front page because I died," Brenker said. "I'd rather be there telling everybody that they can get help. And that help does exist."
For Staten Island, help can't come soon enough. City health figures show a 56% increase in deadly opioid overdoses here in the past five years. Staten Island now has the highest rate of heroin deaths — roughly 12 per 100,000 residents.
And so, de Blasio and his health commissioner came here to announce the city will make naloxone, an overdose-reversing medication known as Narcan, available over-the-counter at pharmacies across the city:
"New Yorkers we are putting lifesaving tools into your hands and empowering you to take action to prevent overdose deaths here in New York City," said city health commissioner Dr. Mary Travis Bassett.
Two doses will sell for about $50 and pharmacists will train people how to use it.
Narcan has been used by trained professionals across the state since 2006, and cops in Staten Island recently began carrying the kits as well. They credit the drug for saving 38 lives so far this year. Brenker said it saved him too.
But officials said more must be done, namely increasing making long-term treatment more widely available
"How do we get more beds and more places to get people help?" asked Borough President James Oddo.
That question will be one of many to be addressed by a newly formed public awareness task force about opioid abuse. A host of citywide leaders and addiction counselors will be meeting in the coming months to seek solutions to the problem.