Opinion: Let drug death be a lesson on dangers of heroin

Re: Heroin kills man in treatment, Aug. 12
-- The unfortunate death of Aaron Kononitz from a heroin overdose while a resident in the Operation PAR treatment program will not be in vain if we use this event to reflect upon the problem of drug abuse in our community and to educate young people about the dangers of heroin.
A significant number of first-time heroin users become lifetime addicts and die of overdose or other complications from illegal drug use. A significant number of heroin addicts are never cured of their addiction even though they may be sober or drug-free for an extended time. I have firsthand knowledge of this because I had a brother who lost a 25-year battle with heroin addiction and died of an overdose four years ago in Seattle. My family supported him emotionally and worked with some of the best drug treatment programs in Minneapolis, Chicago, San Francisco and Seattle over that 25-year period during which he had several extended periods of sobriety and productivity. However, in the end he died of a heroin overdose. He never could free himself from the addiction that quickly developed from using
heroin in high school a couple of times.
Here in Pinellas County we are very fortunate to have such a first-rate drug treatment program such as Operation PAR. I do not believe that the recent overdose death at Operation Par should be seen as a failure of that program. I have had the opportunity to work closely with many of the officers and staff of operation PAR under a contract funded by the Pinellas Juvenile Welfare Board to improve the administration of Alpha, A Beginning, Inc., a residential program for homeless pregnant women in St. Petersburg. I have been favorably impressed with the dedication and professionalism of the Operation PAR staff.
Furthermore, based upon my experience in seeking treatment for my brother from other drug programs in other cities, I believe Operation PAR is first rate. My brother never lived in Pinellas and never was involved with PAR. Treatment of heroin addiction is a complex and difficult task. The fact that all treatment programs have addicts who die of an overdose during or after treatment should bring home the importance of education and prevention of drug abuse.
Joseph Saunders, board certified civil trial lawyer, Pinellas Park

Put preservation of life first

Re: Charges in drug deaths problematic, Aug. 19.

I recently read with great interest the article by Leanora Minai on when to charge drug suppliers with murder under Florida law. This is a very difficult issue when there is a loss of life involved.

Take a moment and assess a situation that young people may be faced with one day. You have recreational drug users who are partying with friends and something starts to go horribly wrong. One of the users starts experiencing trouble, so you have a group of people (most likely) in an altered state of mind having to make life-and-death decisions about what to do next. In the back of their subconscious minds they realize that if something dreadful happens and this person dies, they could be tried for murder or perhaps a lesser charge of manslaughter. At that point, everybody is wishing things were different, but they must deal with the here and now. So, the somewhat rationalizing thoughts begin, that given some time the person in trouble will miraculously come out of it -- or maybe they just need to "sleep it off." In many cases this can be the beginning of the end for that friend in trouble. Sadly, it is difficult to think clearly in this situation, especially when laws exist that are meant to "prosecute" rather than "protect."

Death from an accidental overdose is preventable in most cases if emergency medical help is summoned quickly enough. The problem is that this law causes hesitation and confusion when clear and concise thinking is essential.

A couple of the effects of this law have since become apparent. Convictions resulting from the statute are few and far between, but the number of drug-related deaths has increased dramatically and the situation is worsening. Our legislators, in their infinite wisdom, come up with a law that may be causing more harm than good.

There is no simple solution for this complex problem; however, it is wrong for law enforcement to be threatening possible jail time for people who are trying to do the "right thing by summoning for help quickly" in this horrifying situation. As a society, our goal should be one that most effectively reduces the death, disease, crime and suffering associated with drug use and overdose.

Most important, if we are to overcome this alarming increase in drug-related deaths, the Legislature and law enforcement have a responsibility to make it perfectly clear that the preservation of life is first and foremost in these situations.
-- Dan Johnson, Palm Harbor

USF should get rid of Al-Arian

I support the University of South Florida's decision to seek the court's attention in the matter of Dr. Sami Al-Arian. And it was a breath of fresh air to hear the truth of the matter stated plainly by USF president Judy Genshaft, that Al-Arian's probable link with terrorist organizations make his claims of "loss of academic freedom" a joke.

Without the court's involvement, I believe the university has the right to protect its educational interests, and should terminate Dr. Al-Arian's employment. Further, that some other college professors or the organizations that represent them, could even consider this in the same arena as "academic freedom," makes one realize that some people may know a lot, but they have no grasp of right and wrong. I also wonder about the fairness of how this story is represented in your newspaper, when the story involves your competitor, the Tampa Tribune.
-- Jill Rommel, Oldsmar

The nation's safety is at stake

The very notion that the University of South Florida must enter into a lawsuit to fire Sami Al-Arian, a person with determined terrorist connections, should be a serious warning to all Americans. Liberal America has literally built a protective shield around those who would destroy our country. As we all disbelievingly examine the fact that Al-Arian is still in the United States, we still see a lack of support for President Bush and our country's leaders at large to handle such matters swiftly and sternly.

I am personally in that group of Americans who does not want to wait for dirty bombs to go off around the nation, for our water to be poisoned, for our bridges and buildings to fall, for the masses of America to become sick and die from chemical and biological agents. If we simply don't wake up and cut the head from this terrorist snake through new laws and actions, we may all live to wish we had.
-- Ron McAndrew, Dunnellon

Al-Najjar family is being mistreated

Re: Imprisoned unfairly in the land of the free,
-- Aug. 20.
I read the Times this week with mixed feelings, particularly Mary Jo Melone's excellent column regarding the four-year imprisonment of Mazen Al-Najjar, who has never been charged with a crime. On the one hand, I am happy that he is finally being released from prison and solitary confinement -- a form of torture that we don't even impose on some hardened criminals. But on the other hand, now he has been deported without even the chance to tell friends and former students good-bye. His wife, who has not done anything wrong either, may also be deported, and possibly not even to the same country. Their three children, American citizens who were born and raised in Tampa, will be forced to leave Florida for the first time in their lives.
Why would our government treat this family like this, denying them rights that are supposedly guaranteed by our Constitution? The Al-Najjar family is an asset to our community, and they strongly believe in our American values. I know I am not alone when I say that I will miss them when they are gone.
Melva Underbakke, Temple Terrace

Like living in a police state

Re: Stadium fan searches rejected, Aug. 20.

Good for Pat Manteiga, who doesn't "want to live in a community where we ask women and children to spread their legs and be patted down to see a football game." I experienced this process repeatedly on a recent cross-country flight. Did that make me feel safer? No, it made me feel that I live in a police state.

The problem here is not a need for protection from every risk we can imagine, but public hysteria and widespread gutlessness. We are giving up freedom and civil rights that many Americans have died to protect so we can be "safer." Also, many people are fanning the flames of this fear because they stand to make money and/or gain power by making us feel more "secure." I maintain that all this random, unprofiled patting and searching of ordinary Americans is not going to deter terrorists. Let us hear from more people like Mr. Manteiga and the other Tampa Sports Authority board members who still have some common sense.
-- Elizabeth Marshall, St. Petersburg

Questionable pro-life policies

Re: Bush vs. Third World women, Aug. 19.

Nicholas Kristof's column highlights what are sure to be some of the Bush administration's most infamous and globally harmful policies. President Bush refuses to support family planning and sexuality education programs (both abroad and at home) which reduce the rates of unintended pregnancy and abortion. Those on both sides of the abortion-rights debate want to see lower rates of abortion. I work toward that goal by educating young people to make responsible choices and giving them the information with which to do so.

It is both hypocritical and cruel for Bush to declare a pro-life stance and yet deny millions of women and teens the opportunity to make informed decisions about sexual involvement, contraception, child-spacing and reproductive health. These actions allow widespread suffering and hasten death for millions. If Bush ever wants to debate labels, I invite him to consider who is really "pro-life."
-- McKell Moorhead, MSW, juvenile justice therapist, St. Petersburg

DCF doubts

Re: Some DCF district officials receive hefty pay raises, Aug. 15.

I simply do not understand how the Department of Children and Families can afford to pay top officials $100,000 and up when they claim they have no money to hire more caseworkers and pay them a decent wage.

Just recently they found the money to give all these people a substantial raise.

Is their function more helpful to the children than the caseworkers' jobs? I doubt it.
-- Ruth Benincasa, Palm Harbor

Press exposure helped

I have to give Don Connolly a lot of credit. Credit, that is, for keeping a straight face when he stated he sold the neighborhood lake back to the homeowners because it was "the right thing to do."

I'm sure his upcoming sentencing next week had nothing to do with his sudden conversion to moral and ethical righteousness.

Let's also give some credit to the local media. While much of the criticism directed at the press is well-deserved, this is a positive example of the power of the press to expose both a scoundrel and a mindless bureaucratic tax system.
-- Rick Wilk, Oldsmar

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