Hannah Hetzer and Jon Richards Speak on the Opioid Crisis at UWM

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At this literal Fireside Forum presented by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin Public Radio and UWM’s Institute of World Affairs, the speakers made it clear: the opioid war will not be won using the United States’ current strategy.

Two individuals sat on either side of Doug Savage, the event’s host, speaking on all aspects of the opioid crisis. On the host’s left was Hannah Hetzer, senior policy advisor for the Drug Policy Alliance and using her experience, she related the opioid crisis to the audience from an international policy perspective. On his right, former Wisconsin assemblyman and local drug policy advocate Jon Richards, relating the worldwide opioid issue to Milwaukee.

Hannah Hetzer, senior policy advisor for the Drug Policy Association, explains Portugal’s drug laws.

Hetzer told the crowd about her time in Uruguay, working on drug policy reform which ultimately lead the country to be the first in the world to legalize marijuana.

Of her organization, the Drug Policy Alliance, Hetzer said that “We are in favor of decriminalization of personal use and possession of drugs.”

Hetzer talked about her organization’s stance on drugs, telling of how successful “safe injection sites” have been in European countries. This is a location where people can legally inject drugs under the supervision of medical professionals.

Jon Richards, former state assemblyman and local drug policy advocate, makes a point about the Milwaukee opioid crisis.

Richards had much to say about local drug takeback program of which he is involved called, “Take Back My Meds.” This program sets up medicine drop boxes around Milwaukee where anyone can leave their unused medication.

“It’s important to take personal responsibility for the things that you can do, to get rid of your unused medicine,” Richards said. “To participate in programs that allow you to look for the signs of addiction, if you feel that you may have a loved one may be addicted.”

“We take the forum aspect of [this event] very seriously,” said Savage. “Rather than you as the audience, you are invite to be participants as well.”

Audience members were welcome to walk up to a standing microphone and comment or question at any time.

Retired Milwaukee probation and parole office, Judy Mazur addresses the panel.

Judy Mazur, a member of the crowd and former probation and parole officer for both Ozaukee and Milwaukee county, walked up to the microphone to speak.

“We were having young people die all the time of opiates, it’s the same thing, they got their parents pills, then they can’t the afford pills and heroin becomes very popular,” she said from her personal experiences in Ozaukee county.

Following a question from a UWM instructor about how students on campus can be helped, Hetzer said, “For students who are looking for help and answers for themselves, part of the problem is that you don’t know where to go if it is preventative, you don’t want to go to the police, so if there aren’t university counselors who are also specialized in training for addiction, it’s hard to know where to go.”

UWM’s Norris Health Center offers counseling for “alcohol and other drug use and abuse.” It is unclear as to whether there are university counselors who specialize in treating opioid addiction.

“It might be great to get focus groups of students to start talking amongst themselves (…) about the harms of drugs and risk reduction strategies,” Hetzer said.

(From left to right) Jon Richards, Doug Savage and Hannah Hetzer.

One way that Milwaukee county is working to help people with drug arrests is through Drug Treatment Court. This is an agreement between the defense and prosecution to eliminate some of the punishments that are incurred following a drug charge.

During the conversation, Hetzer recognized the drug court model as a failed attempt at solving the opioid war.

“Drug treatment courts posit that drug use is a health issue and should be subject to treatment rather than criminal sanctions, but it’s still done within the criminal justice system, so it’s still a judge making medical decisions for the people who are using drugs, and it is still done in a court system,” Hetzer said.

Milwaukee drug treatment court decisions are made using a team of people including social workers, Justice Point workers (a non-profit which employs case workers who are assigned to each drug offender,) legal teams, police, and a judge. Drug treatment court participants are assigned to participate in many life skill programs, yet decisions are subject to court and ultimately a judge.

Hetzer and the Drug Policy Alliance are dissatisfied with how the United States is dealing with the opioid epidemic. For them, decriminalization of drugs and the full treatment of addiction as a health issue is the only solution. The only way that this drastic change in policy could be achieved would be through cultural change and speaking at the Fireside lounge at UWM could be another step toward (or even the spark to ignite) that change.