Las Vegas overdose awareness event spotlights addiction

Ted Feshold thought he knew how to use drugs. He used them for 10 years. He knew his tolerance. But it only took one injection of heroin to overdose. In December 2012, his mom found him passed out in his room. Frantically, she slapped him. But he just wouldn’t wake up.

“She has her two sons back now,” Feshold said. “But my disease is still awake.”

Feshold, 35, told himself that he would die if he kept using. He lost one of his closest friends to the disease. But the consequence of overdosing is what drove him to treatment. He’s been clean since Dec. 21, 2012.

Feshold shared his story Thursday night at Stupak Park in Las Vegas during the city’s first International Overdose Awareness Day to remember friends and family members who died from addiction. The Southern Nevada Harm Reduction Alliance, composed of public health professionals, addiction and recovery specialists and syringe exchange program officials, among others, put on the event in conjunction with its media campaign to fight addiction.

As music played, the banners around the park asked people to think: What does addiction look like?

Someone’s love. Someone’s mother. A best friend. A hero. A brother.

In February, the first comprehensive needle exchange program in Clark County began operating at Trac-B Exchange. So far, the program has provided 50,000 clean needles to people in the community. This month, program officials handed out 20,000 needles and received 10,000 that would otherwise be disposed of improperly, or on the street, said Chelsi Cheatom, program manager.

In April, Trac-B Exchange placed two needle vending machines — the first ones in the continental United States — at West Charleston Boulevard and Almond Tree Lane.

Cheatom demonstrated how to use the injectable form of naloxone, the opioid overdose antidote, and handed out kits Thursday. She identified the tell-tale signs of overdoses. Unonsciousness. Blue or purple skin, lips, finger tips. Pinpoint pupils. Before injecting the drug, first administer CPR, she said.

“They may get angry or upset,” she said. “But just remember you saved their life.”

Las Vegas Fire Department assistant chief Jon Stevenson said the department sees about 12 to 15 overdoses in a 24-hour shift.

“It’s a disaster for many families,” he said. “It’s too painful to watch.”

He said the department is brainstorming new approaches to provide help for people they see on the street and encourages those who are administered naloxone privately to still call for help.

“We hope people don’t treat it like a get-out-of jail free card, and it unwittingly causes a false sense of security,” Stevenson said. “Because we don’t judge. We’re just dealing with the illness.”

As people continued to share there stories throughout the night, the park lit up. Small, electric candles were held in memory of those fighting addiction. And those who lost their lives battling it.

Contact Briana Erickson at berickson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5244. Follow @brianarerick on Twitter.