Just like so many families': US parents of addicted kids relate to the Reiners but fear stigma

"But parents who have been affected by their children's addiction fear the conversation will focus on the exceedingly rare act of violence instead of the more widespread risks. Ron Grover and his wife, Darlene, have been glued to the news. They only knew the Reiners by their work, but they feel a connection: Grover's son also became addicted at 15 to opioids and then heroin, much like Nick Reiner, and he was in and out of rehab and jail for years."

"It tears you up, because that's a family destroyed, just like so many other families that we know that their sons or daughters or loved ones didn't survive the disease of addiction. More than two-thirds of Americans say their lives have been touched by addiction either they or a family member has been addicted to alcohol or drugs, experienced homelessness due to addiction, or experienced a drug overdose leading to an emergency room visit, hospitalization, or death, the health non-profit KFF found in 2023."

"The Reiner story struck a chord with Greg, the chair of Families Anonymous, whose son has addiction. We talk a lot about how it's a family disease, Greg said. It has a tremendous impact on others' lives. But he's worried that the murders will make people very wary of anybody who's admitted to having an addiction, and think that they could become violent at any point."

A family homicide linked to a son with addiction renewed public attention to addiction. Many parents who experienced a child's addiction fear the conversation will focus on the exceedingly rare act of violence rather than widespread risks. Ron and Darlene Grover relate personally: their son became addicted at 15 to opioids and heroin, cycled through rehab and jail for years, and got sober in July 2010. More than two-thirds of Americans report their lives have been touched by addiction, and about 16.8%—48.4 million people—had a substance use disorder in 2024. Family groups warn that focusing on rare violent incidents could increase stigma and make people wary of anyone who admits to addiction.

Read at www.theguardian.com