PROVIDENCE Jonathan Goyer watched family relationships fray, jobs vanish and his social network dwindle to nothing during the 10 years he injected heroin. During his darkest times, he dwelled alone in the underground world of opioid addiction.
Even so, Goyer says he would experience days, or even mere moments, when he wanted to put the drugs aside. He calls such moments “windows of willingness.”
Goyer, now eight years in recovery, is among the supporters of safe injection sites as a means to keep drug users safe, curb the spread of infectious diseases and possibly reach them during those openings, to provide them with access to drug treatment, medical care, safe supplies and support.
Outside The EARL on a recent Sunday afternoon, people gathered at the mainstay in East Atlanta Village to drink beer and catch up with friends a sign of normalcy after a disruptive year brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.
But inside, past all the rock music and still more glasses clinking at the bar, were two women seated in front of a banner that read “Don’t Run Call 911!”
They were greeting people and and ushering them into a silent back room for life-saving overdose prevention training.
With people returning in droves to nightlife scenes, bars have reported a wave of overdoses. Interventions such as this training are key to saving lives, say experts such as Dr. Sarah Febres-Cordero, who volunteers with Atlanta Harm Reduction Coalition.
State Budget Improves Health Care and Pandemic Recovery in Maine maine.gov - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from maine.gov Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
4 to 5 Georgians died from overdose each day in 2020 - The Covington News covnews.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from covnews.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.