The Drug Addiction Epidemic in the Region Discussed on Southern Tier Close Up

(Written by Alexa Zbytniewski)Speaking on the June 28 weekly local public affairs program, Southern Tier Close Up, the Director of Public for Relations for the Dreams Over Drugs Foundation Thomas Lucia, along with board member Kelli Musa, talk about their new program and how their pasts have driven them to create the foundation.

Dreams Over Drugs is a non-profit organization that exposes the reality of drugs in the community and the epidemic that is growing across the country. Musa says the foundation is “real” and “young” making it easier to relate to the junior high and high school students they are trying to reach out to.

“Addiction holds no boundaries. It can affect anyone and everyone,” says Musa.

Lucia and Musa are no strangers to addiction and neither are the other members of the program. They use their drug addiction stories to talk to junior high and high school students throughout the community. Lucia and Musa say it’s important to speak to the youth because the users are getting younger and opiates have become cheaper.

The program plans to get the community more involved with upcoming events and recruiting volunteers. If you’d like to contact the foundation, you can email them at dodf@stny.rr.com or ThomasJLucia@stny.rr.com. You can also follow and like them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DreamsOverDrugsFoundation .

Southern Tier Close up can be heard Saturdays at 12:10 p.m. on News Radio 1290 WNBF.