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MVOC addresses drug, other issues at forum
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
Changing views that drug addiction is a disease and not a choice is one of the main issues facing the community, said organizers at a forum hosted by the Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative on Saturday.
Greg Solomon and Tina Cvetkovich, who headed up a presentation on Wellness and Recovery from addiction issues at the forum, said that one of the most common stereotypes people have about drug use — that it’s a choice — is far from the truth.
“Have an open mind,” Cvetkovich said. “It’s not a lifestyle choice.”
The forum, which also was sponsored by the United Returning Citizens, took place at Mount Calvary Pentescotal Church and addressed other issues such as education and school reform, mass incarceration and civic engagement.
Solomon and Cvetkovich both majored in social work at Youngstown State University, and both said they are recovering drug users, with 19 and 10 years of sobriety, respectively.
Solomon said mass-incarceration issues go hand-in-hand with drug issues because in a lot of neighborhoods racked by poverty, people sell drugs because they don’t have jobs. He said if they had an opportunity to work, they would not be selling drugs and that, in turn, would lead to less crime and less need for people to go to prison.
“Instead of giving employment, they want to lock them up,” Solomon said.
Cvetkovich said it’s important to change people’s minds about addiction to make it known that people do change, and she and Solomon are prime examples of that.
Solomon said the message is hard to get out because often, people on drugs will fail their first or even second attempts to get clean and also because the media do not portray positive stories of people who have quit a drug addiction.
“They’re not showing that people do change to become productive members of society,” Solomon said.
Both said increased funding for drug treatment is crucial as well, to help people get treatment. Cvetkovich said that would help because in some treatment facilities, there are waits up to three months for someone to get treated because of a lack of space.
Rebecca Soldan, who organized Saturday’s event, said it’s important to get input from the public so they know what issues need to be addressed and also what needs are in the community.