---

In recognition of Friday’s International Family Drug Support Day, local nonprofit Help Not Handcuffs Founder Randy Thompson has announced a partnership with Families for Sensible Drug Policies.

“As long as our governments continue to criminalize drug use, then prohibition laws will be the priority, instead of the health and empowerment of individuals, and supporting the families to be resilient when any kind of substance use occurs,” Thompson [at right] said.

The annual International Family Drug Support Day aims to spotlight the need for families’ voices to be recognized, heard,  and encouraged to speak about their concerns and their needs in drug policy and laws..  This year, the theme of the global movement is “See the Person Not the Drug.”

International Family Drug Support Day was created in Australia following the drug overdose passing of Damien Trimingham by his father Tony in response to this tragedy. Today organizations around the world hold events to publicly highlight the needs of families and individuals experiencing problematic or non-problematic drug use.

Thompson said many of those needs are not addressed in existing drug policies.

“The reality for many families is that there are limited programs and services available and many policies adversely affect families, all too often under a cloud of stigma and shame,” Thompson said.

The objectives of the International Day are to:

Reduce stigma and discrimination for families and drug users

Promote family drug support services for families and friends

Promote harm reduction strategies for families and friends

“We are privileged to join Mr. Tony Trimingham and our global partners this Friday [Feb 24] as we stand in solidarity to speak about and address drug use in the way we have learned to accept mental health, disabilities and other conditions,” Families for Sensible Drug Policies Co Founders Barry Lessin and Carol Katz Beyer said in written statement. “The impact this could have on the tens of thousands of families and lives affected by drug use would be incredible.”

Thompson said individuals can participate in the annual recognition by:

Donating in support of pamphlets, posters and informational materials.

Promoting  the day via Social Media using  #SeeThePersonNotTheDrug

Reaching out to neighbors, community leaders and legislators to voice the issues.

Anyone interested in sharing a photo and drug addiction testimonial of 200 words or less for posting on the Families for Sensible Drug Policies’ Family Wall may do so by emailing Carol@fsdp.org or Barry@fsdp.org.  Participants are encouraged to highlight a memory, recovery, or how harm reduction helped their family.

Coalition partners include: The Urban Survivors Union, Students for Sensible Drug Policy of University of North Georgia, Full Circle Recovery Center, The Center for Optimal Living, and The Middle East and North Africa Network of/for People who use Drugs, Thompson said.

Donations can be made to Help Not Handcuffs here: http://www.helpnothandcuffs.org/donate.html

Donations can be made to Families for Sensible Drug Policy here: https://fsdp.z2systems.com/np/clients/fsdp/donation.jsp

—————————————————-

Follow the Asbury Park Sun on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The Asbury Park Sun is affiliated with the triCityNews newspaper.

---