Heroin problem is ‘epidemic’

Experts warn deadly drug not just in cities

By Walter J. O’Neill, Jr.
West Long Branch – Over 200 people gathered in the auditorium at Shore Regional High School on Monday night to hear Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni speak about the growing, too often deadly, heroin problem in our communities.

West Long Branch Police Chief Larry Mihlon tells of how he found his own son, not breathing, after a heroin overdose.

Before Gramiccioni even uttered a word those in attendance watched a music video called “The A Team” by Ed Sheeran. It depicts the dramatic downfall of a young woman on heroin, and it was a powerful start to an important conversation with the parents of the students in the sending districts of Shore Regional High School, Gramiccioni said.
“Heroin, it has invaded our community and our schools. It’s one of the most addictive substances on the planet,” said Gramiccioni. He stated that heroin is at epidemic use in Monmouth County. The drug knows no boundaries and must be confronted as a stark reality.

The Acting Prosecutor went on to say that the mistaken impression is that heroin is an inner city problem, a drug found in Long Branch and Asbury Park.
But what separates Long Branch from Oceanport, Monmouth Beach and West Long Branch, he asked. Just one street. While everyone thinks that those cities are the evil drug dens, they are not. In reality, the drugs are in all our communities and during the presentation slides, facts, and real life stories from those in attendance proved that.

Gramiccioni said that only one out of every five people who try heroin will lead a productive life. “That means 80 percent of people who use heroin are lost,” said Gramiccioni. He also reported that 4.2 million American children age 12 and older said they used heroin once, and one in four will become addicted.
As he continued with his presentation, the room was dead quiet. As the statistics boomed out it became clear that for far too long this has been a problem that many of us have ignored, turned a blind eye too or simply denied. “It’s enslaving our youth. It is changing the morals, the ethics and the personalities of the children and young people that we grew up around and live around,” said Gramiccioni.

One of the problems for law enforcement is the level of purity of the heroin that is in our area. “Heroin in New York City is at 37.5 percent, Philadelphia is at 63.6 percent, and we are finding levels here in Monmouth County averaging 50 percent and some upwards to 95 percent,” said Gramiccioni. He added that the stronger, more pure the heroin, the faster and easier it is to become an addict.

Most of the heroin coming into our area is from South America, Columbia particularly. Police can’t stop the drugs from getting into our country and our communities. “It is a simple supply and demand. As long as we have people using and demanding the product, the suppliers will find a way to get it here. Law enforcement is half the way to stop it,” said Gramiccioni. “Knowledge and education and communication with parents is the other half.”

Back in the 1970s heroin was something that was injected with a needle; today the drug can be smoked or snorted as well. And that creates a problem for parents as it leaves very little evidence on the body, no track marks from the needle. However Gramiccioni did give parents warning signs about mood changes, unkempt appearance, finding drug paraphernalia, no future plans, poor self-image, lying, deception, loss of job are just a few of the signs.

While many people think homicide is the leading crime-related cause of death, Gramiccioni presented a slide showing that from 2009 to 2013 the county had 54 homicides, 176 highway fatalities, 379 deaths from non-heroin drug overdose and 295 have died from heroin overdose. However, they expect that last number to increase by 25 as it takes a few months for the coroner to get results back.

Heroin is cheap to purchase. A bag the size of a postage stamp costs $5 to $10 and a user will consume 10 to 15 bags a day according to Gramiccioni. He said the largest user group of heroin is less than 26 years old. The 18-26 year olds are experiencing a 24 percent rise in heroin overdose deaths. In the 25-40 year old age group, drug overdose is the fourth leading cause of death.

“Heroin users, 80 percent start with friends, and 80 percent will die alone,” said Gramiccioni. A slide appeared on the large screen. It had the faces of several people who were arrested in a large heroin bust conducted by the Prosecutor’s Office and local police departments. “Many of you probably don’t know these people, but look at them, they are from our area,” said Gramiccioni. On that slide were three faces of three of Shore Regional High School graduates who were picked up in the sweep.

West Long Branch Police Chief Larry Mihlon then took the stage and addressed the crowd.“I need you to know this and I need you to hear what I’m going to tell you,” said Mihlon. He then went on to tell how back in April his wife, Susan Marco, went downstairs in their home and found their 22-year-old son snoring in front of the TV. “Susan came up and told me that he was snoring. If I had waited two more minutes to check on him…,”

Mihlon went down and found his son was not breathing. “For those of you in law enforcement, what Susan thought was snoring was what we call the death rattles. When I reached him he was dead and I had to do something in my own home that I thought I never would ever have to do,” said Mihlon. He started CPR and the Long Branch Police and First Aid responded. They administered a drug called Narcan, which is used to complete or partial reversal of a drug overdose.“After he was given the Narcan he shot up in the ambulance and said ‘I have to quit.’ He was then in a coma for a few days.”

Mihlon is very lucky; he saved his son, who is now 10 months clean. “Denial is just as deadly as heroin,” said Mihlon. “I’m a cop, I saw all the signs. I was just in denial.”

“The program that the county is putting on in the school was terrific. It is based on prevention. My problem has been going on for years, way past the prevention stage, and there is no help in Monmouth County for detox or rehab,” said Oceanport resident Denise Manzi, who also had a heart breaking story. She spoke about how she has spent all her retirement money to save her son and how the county needs to do something to help those already addicted.

“I have three children that were all raised in a stable two-parent home and all were good athletes and competed at local and higher levels,” said Manzi. Then her husband passed away suddenly, and her son soon started to spiral. She saw the signs, but he was going to work, got married, and functioned. “So I assumed I was wrong. But two years later it all came to a head; we had an intervention and he admitted he had a bad problem.” The next day they were on a plane out of state and into a 30-day detox program that cost her $16,000. “He had three relapses in as many years, each being worse than the last. Many tears, lots of money. I could not give into this disease, as I knew I could not bury my son,” said Manzi.

At one point she had to have her son removed from her home, which she said the Oceanport Police did very respectfully. He was taken to Monmouth Medical Center Crisis Unit, but was home three hours later in worse shape. “Most of my valuables were sold to pay for his habit; my finances were left in ruins.”

Gramiccioni told Manzi that he felt for her, but he added that he brings with him professionals in the area of health care who could help answer her questions. Representatives from Ambrosia Treatment Centers, The Community YMCA, The Counseling Center, CPC Behavioral Healthcare, GCADA, High Focus Centers, Meridan Behavioral Healthcare Services, Nar-Anon Family, New Hope Foundation and Prevention First were on hand to answer questions and hand out information.

Manzi suggested that with all the vacant property at Fort Monmouth the County, State or Federal Government should establish a detox or rehab facility here in Monmouth County. “New Hope is impossible to get into. If you google detox and rehab in Monmouth County the first entry is the watershed with an 800 number and it is in Florida,” said Manzi. “I have tried to contact Congressman Pallone; I have spoken with his aid, never him directly. I sent an invitation to attend this meeting.”

Currently, Manzi’s son lives and works in a sober community in Del Ray Beach, Florida and is one year sober.

Originally published in the Jan. 30, 2014 print edition