On April 18 we hosted a Greater Than Heroin Summit to bring a large group together to come up with great ways to discuss the heroin and opioid epidemic based on your audience. These can be helpful in taking the first step in talking to someone about a very serious and difficult topic.

Talking points:

  • Who is your audience?
  • What are your three talking points?
  • Repetition is key and the mother of learning
  • Doing this exercise because we really need to start talking about this issue instead of keeping it hush hush.

First Example:

Audience: Family

  • You need to know addiction & the dangers
  • Start the conversation
  • Just 1 and you’re done
  • Suggestion: anonymous tip line via text
  • Crime Stoppers is working on this

Second example:

Audience: Post-treatment patients

  • You have purpose. We just need to find it
  • There is Help
  • There is Hope

Third example:

Audience: Addict

  • Find something that means more to you than the drugs
  • You are more than the choices you have made
  • If you’re breathing, there is still hope. It’s not too late

Fourth example:

Audience: Youth (prevention)

  • Prevention is key!
  • Must reach them while they are young (before 13)
  • Impact them with good things that are larger than life; good role models that support being drug free

Fifth example:

Audience: Elementary and High School Students

  • Don’t dismiss gateway drugs
  • Look got God/higher power for relief
  • Don’t fear being a “wimp.” Let’s make being drug-free “cool.”

Sixth example:

Audience: Those coming back into society (ex: from prison)

  • You’ve gone through the hardest part
  • 1 more could kill you
  • Recovery, help, hope, support is there

Seventh Example:

Audience: Addiction is a disease

  • Remove stigma; it affects all of us
  • Addiction is a disease
  • Treatment needed on demand & insurance should cover it

Eighth Example:

Audience: 20/30 year olds or grandparents that raise their kids’ kids

  • Education prevention
  • Get rid of meds
  • Don’t be afraid to ask Drs. & Dentists good questions
  • Know the signs & create deeper awareness

Last Example:

Audience: General

  • Addiction is an epidemic…opioids are not the problem
  • We need to change the language from “addicts” to “people with substance abuse disorder.” Wow, so profound! J
  • Closing Remarks
  • Collect Contact Info/Interest sheet/ talking points
  • Look at their interests to form future groups and expand the cause initiatives