It is an astounding fact that over 2 million people are addicted to pain pills.Four in five new heroin users started out by misusing prescription pain killers.Georgia is among the top 11 states with the most prescription opioid deaths.In Fulton County, 593 people died from an opioid overdose in the last five years.The statistics concerning this epidemic are too incredible to ignore.

Many Rotary projects have begun with a single person asking a single question: What are we going to do about this? It was about one year ago that North Fulton Rotary Club president Mike Mudd reached out to area Rotary Clubs to ask what actions their clubs were taking with the opioid epidemic. Roswell Rotary president Lisa Carlisle was among those to answer. One month after asking that single question, several North Fulton Clubs, including Roswell Rotary, were part of an alliance with local police, healthcare services, and school officials that formed the Rotary Opioid Task Force.

The task force met numerous times to discuss the challenges and determine what they could do about the crisis.As meetings progressed, clubs decided they would take various approaches to meet the challenges.Roswell Rotarian, Judge Brian Hansford, at the request of 2017-2018 Presidents Lisa Carlisle of Roswell Rotary and Will MacArthur of Sandy Springs Rotary, led a discussion group at the Fall Interact Conference held at Elkins Point Middle School. Dr. Kym Mwansa of GKM Healthcare Solutions, an interact sponsor and Roswell Rotarian, attended the second session. After seeking input from the students, Judge Hansford and Dr. Mwansa agreed to co-chair the newly formed Rotary Opioid Awareness Task Force. Lisa explains, “The goal is to educate area citizens at the most basic level of how it is very easy to fall into addiction and how much is misunderstood about this crisis.”They decided that creating a "shock and awe" video would be the foundation of the project. Dr. Mwansa presented a multi-scene script about the paths of two students-one that took drugs and one that sold drugs. An opioid awareness PSA was born.But not just any PSA!This one would be written, directed, and performed by local students.

The team brought in Jordan-Paige Sudduth, a 16 year old writer, actor, director, author, and the occasional cinematographer and editor. She was the youth talent needed to really get the ball rolling.Jordan wrote the script based on the real fact that an opioid addiction can start with a prescription for an injury and someone can die by using the drugs one time!

Thanks to Jordan, and editor, Todd Lawrimore, Sandy Springs Rotarian, along with the ROATF, several youth actors, support from Roswell High School, Wellstar North Fulton Hospital, and McDonald's Funeral Home, the film, “Only One Time” was completed in May 2018.That was not the end of the project for Roswell Rotary.The ROATF partnered with the City of Roswell to hold three community events this summer, the first of which was a town hall meeting held June 26.

The Opioid Crisis Forum held at Roswell’s City Hall was open to the public.Dr. Mwansaand Judge Hansford hosted an expert panel which included Dr. Tommie Richardson (Georgia Behavioral Health Professionals), Pabel Troche (EMS Services, City of Roswell), Debra Minneman (Recovering; Georgia Council on Substance Abuse), Graham Skinner (No Longer Bound) , and Kelly Moselle (Alcohol and Drug Abuse Certification Board of Georgia).The panel spoke to a full room of interested people representing support groups, healthcare professionals, clergy, politicians, and the general public who were dealing with this difficult issue of opioid usage.

One of the most compelling moments of the evening was Dr. Tommie Richardson’s description of this brain disease called drug addiction.Dr. Richardson made a fist, holding his four fingers over his thumb.This was to represent the brain.The area of the brain that serves addiction was the thumb.Our normal desire and need for food, water, air, and sex were the four fingers.He then shifted his thumb to be over the fingers.This, he said, was an addicted brain.Our four desires and needs are no long prominent.The desire and need for the drug takes over all other life’s necessities.

After the panel discussion, “Only One Time” debuted and the floor was open to questions and comments.It was apparent that our community is in need of communication, education, and assistance in dealing with the opioid epidemic.The ROATF plans on continuing to hold panel discussions and show the PSA to the community and local schools.

Dr. Mwansa says she deals with this addiction crisis every single day in her practice.“THIS is the issue that I worry about for my kids,” says Judge Hansford.“You must discuss this with your children.”Roswell is part of “The Triangle” which extends from the tip of Pauling County to the far end of Gwinnett County with the V into Fulton County at the I-20/I-75/I-85 connection. This affluent area was found to have an alarming growth rate of deaths from overdoses over the past six years.We are also part of a bigger picture where 115 people die from an overdose EACH DAY!If you are in Fulton County and know someone that needs help, text “RHS” to 1-844-201-9946.

Just as Rotary took on ending polio, Roswell Rotary knows how important it is to tackle the opioid crisis.It cannot be overlooked.If your club is interested in presenting “Only One Time” to your club or local schools, please contact Dr. Kym Mwansa at 678-561-7115.What starts as a single question from a single person in Rotary grows to end world problems.