By Susan Bromley

Staff Writer

Scott Masi traveled from Brandon Township to Washington, D.C. to rally against drug addiction last fall.

Next week, he is bringing the fight closer to home and will rally on the steps of the state capitol in Lansing.

The Unite to Face Addiction Michigan rally is planned for June 2 and Masi, a township resident, is encouraing everyone to join him in taking action to address issues related to addiction.

“We want to show in numbers the importance of this issue to our legislators,” said Masi, behavioral health referral specialist for the Brighton Center for Recovery. “It’s all about breaking the barriers and stigma and putting a face to addiction. We want to show unity and want to show the number of people concerned about this issue and also show, ‘Hey, look, we have been living in this epidemic for the last 10 years.’”

The Centers for Disease Control has declared drug addiction an epidemic in the U.S., with more people dying from drug overdoses in 2014 than in any year on record.

According to cdc.gov, “The majority of drug overdose deaths (more than six out of ten) involve an opioid. Since 1999, the rate of overdose deaths involving opioids (including prescription opioid pain relievers and heroin) nearly quadrupled. From 2000 to 2014 nearly half a million people died from drug overdoses. 78 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose.

We now know that overdoses from prescription opioid pain relievers are a driving factor in the 15-year increase in opioid overdose deaths. Since 1999, the amount of prescription opioids sold in the U.S. nearly quadrupled, yet there has not been an overall change in the amount of pain that Americans report. Deaths from prescription opioids—drugs like oxycodone, hydrocodone, and methadone—have also quadrupled since 1999.”

Masi said Michigan legislators are considering a number of bills relating to drug addiction, including the overprescribing of prescription medication, a Good Samaritan Act for reporting of opioid overdoses, and making Narcan, which counteracts opioid overdoses, available without prescription.

At the rally, there will be various speakers, as well as a memorial walk for those who have lost loved ones to drug addiction.

“There is a plane that crashes in this country every day that carries 129 people who die from addiction,” said Masi. “Drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in the U.S., it exceeds motor vehicle deaths and we are still fighting to get funding and recognition for the importance of this issue… There is so much destruction of individuals, families and communities because of addiction. We are hoping to unify the voice.”

For more information or to register for the free event, go to UFAMichigan.org.