Patriot Ledger // Published October 20, 2016 // By Jack Shea

QUINCY – Quincy police Detective Patrick Glynn said the said the department used to treat overdose victims with handcuffs.

“Now, we provide them with Narcan and hopefully get them to a secondary treatment facility,” said Glynn. “This is a disease, and victims need to be treated, not arrested.”

In 2011, Glynn led the Quincy Police Department to became the first in the nation to train its officers to use the drug naloxone, more commonly known under the brand name Narcan, to reverse the effects of opioid overdose. Since then, Glynn said, it has saved more than 600 lives.

Glynn was one of several speakers at the annual Quincy College Substance Abuse Forum on Thursday afternoon. The event was hosted by the Quincy College Addiction Awareness Club, and featured presentations from Boston, Quincy and community groups, who addressed issues concerning drug and alcohol addiction.

State Sen. John F. Keenan discussed the opioid crisis’ roots in the rise of prescription painkillers in the 1990s, leading up to an all-time high number of overdoses in Massachusetts last year, with a total of 1,531. That number, he said, is expected to increase in 2016.

Keenan called for more programs and resources and stricter laws to curb the number of opioid overdoses in Massachusetts.

“This is unacceptable,” said Keenan. “We need change to help these addicts.”

Keenan also highlighted the measures that Massachusetts officials have taken to combat the opioid epidemic, including legislation updates to educate students on opioid abuse and to train health professionals to use other methods of pain management.

Representatives from several addiction recovery organizations also spoke, urging members of the audience struggling with addiction to reach out to the community for help.

“There is so much opportunity for those who are struggling to reach out for support,” said Celine Cannon of the Gavin Foundation. “It’s a miracle when we see people stay sober because they have hope and a place to go.”

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