Our ‘better angels’ need to rally
Growing up, the benefits of American society, things like common decency, trust in authority and the United States as a refuge for immigrants, seemed self-evident. Yet today, there’s a stubborn belief, if not always expressed, that the country is in decline. And polls, for what they’re worth, detect that a majority of our fellow citizens think the country’s “on the wrong track.” And such sentiments, generally speaking, I’d hardly dispute. But what, specifically, are the reasons for the general malaise? And more to the point, what is each of us doing to improve things?
Last I noticed, no positive changes occur without effort. Perhaps Americans’ pessimism comes from not knowing what we really think. And confusion breeds lethargy. The awful culprit, I believe, may be that there’s so darn much information – and alas, disinformation, our minds can’t always distinguish solid facts from folly. And maybe striving to make a difference in our communities just grabs too little attention.
But who wants to waste time just lamenting? Being a mere spectator is unbecoming; we have hands and hearts. If we want to experience a healthier, more optimistic future, one where people thrive and children dream, we must make it happen. The persistent headwinds of grievance must not be allowed to suffocate our legitimate hopes.
R. Jay Allain
Former Twin Cities resident
Orleans, MA
Supporting LGBTQ+ Vets during Pride Month, all year
The service and sacrifice of all our veterans should be fully recognized, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or HIV status. The Veterans’ Bonus Division of the Office of the State Treasurer is proud to support all our state’s veterans, especially our LGBTQ+ veterans, during Pride Month!
Last August, much needed changes were made to eligibility requirements for veterans’ bonuses. After 104 years, the Veterans’ Bonus Division was finally able to issue bonus payments to veterans who were other than honorably discharged from service due to their sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or HIV status before or during the now defunct federal policy “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” This was an important step toward achieving equity and fairness by making sure that service members receive the bonuses and benefits they deserve.
Granting benefits to these veterans is not just a matter of rectifying past wrongs, it is about acknowledging that their service, their sacrifice, is an integral part of the collective effort to safeguard our country. By extending eligibility for the bonuses and ensuring equity, we affirm that every individual who serves their country deserves to be treated with respect and dignity, regardless of their sexual orientation.
If you are a Veteran who may be newly eligible for a bonus due to this change, please inquire by following this link: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/veterans-bonus-inquiry. And thank you for your service.
Steve Croteau
Director, Veterans’ Bonus Division
Office of the State Treasurer and Receiver General
Crime stats just misinformation from Dems
With the greatest respect Mr. Lavallee, your devotion to our Biden/Obama administration is touching. However, any Lowellian past the age of reason can find honest stats by simply reading the Sun’s arrest log.
There we find those locals despoiling our lives on a daily basis, plus those illegal aliens our cash-strapped city is pampering and offering “sanctuary”. Ask any Centerville or Back Central resident if your fantasy statistics make them feel safer now. It’s one thing to be a faithful Party shill but quite another to use the reams of misinformation it publishes, to pass as evidence of truths.
As for the political treachery that has made criminals of innocent rally attendees, may those responsible see God’s judgment. A few selfie-loving jerks does not an “insurrection” make. The continuing dumbing-down of our citizenry plus the refusal of lifetime Democrats to acknowledge the party they grew up in has gone rogue, produces the nonsense you offer as “fact.”
F. Nowak
Lowell, MA
Response to opioid death article
I’m responding to Chris Van Buskirk’s recent article titled, “Mass. reports largest single-year decline in opioid-related overdose deaths in 13 years.” The decline in deaths is encouraging but the fact that there were 2,125 confirmed or suspected opioid-related deaths in 2023 is still much too high. The number is also thought to be under-reported due to deaths where opioids were a contributing factor. It also doesn’t consider the number of people whose overdoses were reversed through the administration of Naloxone (i.e., Narcan). We simply cannot take the eye off the ball on the issue especially, as noted in the article, the drug supply is being “increasingly poisoned with Fentanyl present in 90% of the overdose deaths where a toxicology report was available.”
As alarming as these numbers still may be, what is even more concerning is the number of people suffering from substance use disorder (SUD) related to alcohol. While we were focused on the opioid crisis and dealing with a pandemic, we have quietly seen the number of people seeking treatment for alcohol addiction rise to levels that far outweigh those seeking treatment for opioids. Our data shows that 51% of people seeking treatment at our Danvers facility are for alcohol addiction, compared to 24% addicted to opioids. Data from our Westminster location shows that 39% entered for alcohol addiction treatment while 21% sought help for opioid use. The remainder of our patients are seeking treatment for cocaine, cannabis, sedatives, and hypnotics. In addition to SUD, we understand that the vast majority of patients present with a mental or medical comorbidity, so we are often dealing with more than one issue. Knowing this we are able to effectively help patients manage co-occurring disorders that can play a role in their recovery process.
While we must remain focused on the crushing effects related to opioid addiction, we must also re-focus on the overwhelming number of people in the Commonwealth that need support for alcohol addiction. Here are just a few of the startling numbers reported by the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics that reinforce this need:
• 21.1% of Massachusetts adults over 18 binge drink at least once per month.
• An average of 2,760 annual deaths in Massachusetts are attributed to excessive alcohol use.
• The 5-year average annual rate of excessive alcohol deaths per capita in Massachusetts increased by as much as 57.2% from 2015 to 2019. (At Recovery Centers of America, we expect these numbers to be even higher once more recent data becomes available).
• Massachusetts averages one (1) death from excessive alcohol use for every 2,547 people aged 18 and older or 4.88 deaths for every 10,000 adults.
If you or someone you know is suffering with alcohol addiction or any SUD, please know that help is available and there are millions of people living happy, productive lives in recovery.
Dr. Myles Jen Kin
Medical Director, New England
Recovery Centers of America
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