One-thousand and eighty-nine people died from unintended opioid overdose in Massachusetts in 2014, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH). In 2013, 911 people died. In 2012, 668 people died from opioid overdose.

The rising epidemic has ignited a stronger anti-drug campaign in Dartmouth. The town’s youth advocate Jennifer Cabral said she wanted to bring awareness to the overdoses and opioid addiction, so she gathered Dartmouth Police detective Kyle Costa, prevention services director Laura Washington, and recovering heroin addict Jordan Black to speak to Dartmouth High School students on May 27.

“A lot of people think ‘We’re in Dartmouth. It’s not a problem like it is in Fall River or New Bedford,’” said Washington, who works for SSTAR, a health care and social service agency in Fall River. In 2014, Dartmouth had 6 confirmed unintentional opioid-related deaths, according to the Massachusetts DPH.

Washington emphasized that addiction is an illness. “It doesn’t mean they’re a bad person,” she told students.

Black followed her speech. “I feel like my purpose here today is to save someone’s life,” said Black—who attended his first detox at 18-years-old. “I’m not a crazy gangster. I live 10 minutes away.”

Black encouraged kids to talk to a guidance counselor or police about addiction. “There’s no such thing as snitching when it comes to saving people’s lives,” he said.

The students responded positively during a question-and-answer session. One student stood up to thank Black—who "got clean on January 5"—for his courage. “I’m really proud of you. Keep doing what you’re doing,” the student said.

“We all put together our own presentations, but it flowed well I think,” said Costa, who presented a slideshow to kick off the early-morning discussion.

Cabral encouraged students to get involved with Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD), a community-wide group she is developing that will also involve Bishop Stang and Dartmouth Middle School, she said.