1. Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Office of District Attorney
Joseph D. Early Jr.
Drugs and Alcohol Prevention

2. District Attorney vs. Drugs & Alcohol
(#DAvsDA)
“I would much rather prevent a crime than have
to solve one” –District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr.

3. Definition of Addiction
compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming
substance (as heroin, nicotine, or alcohol)
characterized by tolerance and by well-defined
physiological symptoms upon withdrawal; broadly
: persistent compulsive use of a substance known
by the user to be harmful Merriam-Webster

4. Myths About Addiction
1. “Good kids don’t do drugs, bad kids do.”
2. “People who get addicted are weak and without morals.”
3. “Addicts must hit rock bottom before they can be treated.”
4. “If a drug was prescribed by a doctor, it must be safe.”
5. “America’s drug problem is unsolvable.”

5. Alcohol Use and the Brain

6. Addiction is a Disease
•dis·ease
•dəˈzēz/
•noun
•a disorder of structure or function in a human, animal, or plant,
especially one that produces specific signs or symptoms or that affects a
specific location and is not simply a direct result of physical injury.
“We wouldn’t treat heart disease or cancer with
one emergency room visit, so why are we trying
to treat addiction in that manner?”
- Joseph D. Early, Jr.

7. Categories of Drugs
1. Depressants
Examples: Alcohol, cannabis, benzodiazepines, inhalants,
and opioids.
2. Hallucinogens
Examples: LSD and ecstasy.
3. Stimulants
Examples: Cocaine, methamphetamines, speed, party pills, caffeine.

8. Alcohol Use and Young People
• Before entering college 34% of students
had engaged in “binge drinking” while
66% had not.
• Within the first year these numbers
reverse with 66% of college students
binge drinking regularly and
only 34% do not.

9. What Is The Result Of This
Glorification Of Alcohol?

10. Effects of Alcohol on the Body
• It takes one hour to metabolize one drink
• It takes 30 minutes to feel effects of one drink.
ONE drink = 12 fl.oz beer
5 fl.oz wine,
1.5 fl.oz liquor

11. Effects of Alcohol continued…
• Abusing alcohol affects your:
- Brain - Pancreas
- Heart - Decision Making Skills
- Liver - Motor Skills - Cancer
•Adapted from National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

12. Binge Drinking
“The practice of consuming
large quantities of alcohol in
a single session, usually
defined as five or more
drinks at a time for men and
four or more drinks at one
time for women.”
More than 90% of alcohol consumed is
considered binge drinking.

13. Signs of Alcohol Abuse
• Frequent uncontrolled drinking episodes
• Driving while drunk
• Doing something under the influence of alcohol that
you would not otherwise do
• Missing school or work
• Lying about drinking habits
• Familial, social, work related issues
• Forgetting one’s actions
• Drinking at early hours of the day

14. Alcohol Related Incidents
Scott Maloney, Becker College
• He fell from a rooftop due
to decisions he made while
intoxicated
• He suffered a traumatic
brain injury and his family
was told to say goodbye
• He was only able to recover
after years of intense
treatment and still he suffers
his injury
Anthony Barksdale II, Boston
University
• Anthony lost his life at 19
years old, due to alcohol
poisoning after a frat party
which school officials
described as “an underage
booze bash.” The fraternity
was suspended as result of
the tragedy.

15. Taylor Meyer
17 year old High School
Senior from Plainville
MA – King Phillip
Regional High School
drowned in a swamp
2008 after walking
away from an outdoor
underage drinking
party.

16. National Underage Drinking Statistics
• 4,300 deaths
annually
• 2010, there were
189,000 emergency
room visits.
• Young drinkers are
7x more likely to
be in an alcohol
related crash
• 70% have engaged in
heavy drinking by ages
19 or 20.
• High school students
who use alcohol or
other substances are
five times more likely
to drop out of school.
• Almost 50% of all
10th graders drink
alcohol.

17. Marijuana
Early exposure proven to diminish users’ long-
term motivation and ambition.
Increases vulnerability for drug abuse and
addiction to other substances later in life.

18. Opioids
Vicodin, OxyContin, Codeine, and Heroin
• About 18-20 million people
• Snorting, smoking and shooting
(injecting)
• Addictive more and more each time

19. One Pill Can Be a Game-Changer
“Best Way is to never start”- Joseph D. Early, Jr.

20. Addiction in Massachusetts
• EVERY DAY over 3 people a day die of overdose
• More overdose deaths than fatal car accidents.
• Total number of addicted MA residents = 200,000.
• Last decade, total number of overdoses = 6,600

21. Effects of Opioids
Short Term
• Intense pleasure and strong
feelings of wellbeing
• Confusion
• Pain relief
• Constricted pupils
• Impaired coordination
• Decreased blood pressure
and heart rate
• Loss of concentration
Long Term
• Feelings of sadness or
depression
• Mental impairment
• Skin, heart, and lung
infections
• Collapsed veins
• Tetanus
• Risk of contracting HIV or
hepatitis

22. Withdrawal Symptoms
• Craving the drug
• Restlessness
• Low blood
pressure
• Stomach and
muscle cramps
• Diarrhea and
vomiting

23. Worcester County Overdose
Statistics for 2015 (Jan-July)
January 15 deaths
February 7 deaths
March 19 deaths
April 4 deaths
May 3 deaths
June 8 deaths
July 7 deaths
The leading cities/towns:
1) Worcester (17)
2) Fitchburg (11)
3) Leominster (5)
4) Gardner (3)
63 suspected overdose
deaths
1) Males: 50
2) Females: 13

24. Treatment
• Methadone- liquid form suppresses heroin
• Suboxone- suppresses cravings
• Vivitrol- 7 days sober prior to cold shot, must be renewed
• Therapy

25. Real Life Addicts
Roman Montano
Josh Hamilton
Amy Winehouse
Whitney Houston
Chris Herren
Philip Seymour
Hoffman

26. 1-800-327-5050

27. “I would much rather prevent a
crime than have to solve one” –
District Attorney Joseph D.
Early Jr
“The majority of the crime we
deal with is drug and alcohol
related” – District Attorney
Joseph D. Early Jr.
#itstartswithU
#DAvsDACheck out our Facebook
and Twitter page for more
information on the Opioid
Task Force!

28. A Special Thanks to
CleanSlate Addiction Treatment Centers
Worcester Police
Worcester Telegram and Gazette