By Angela Wilson | UAB Community Health & Human Services Intern
Linnethia Monique Johnson, also known as NeNe Leakes is a reality television personality, actress, author, author, and fashion designer. NeNe has amassed over $14 million in her career. Still, like many Americans, Leakes still has experienced the harsh circumstances of drug use within her family. Bryson Bryant, Leakes oldest son was arrested on felony drug possession charges on July 3, 2023, in Gwinnett County, Georgia. Police found the 33-year-old in possession of fentanyl. Initially, Leakes was quiet about her son’s arrest, but a few days ago, she broke her silence about the incident on a television podcast.
Leakes did not make excuses for her son and insisted that he needed rehabilitation and counseling. She also admitted that her son has an addiction problem that he has been struggling with for years, and although he has been to rehabilitation, he has relapsed several times. During the interview, she confessed that she has other family members who struggle with drug addiction too.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), almost 22% of people over the age of 12 used illicit drugs, including marijuana, and 9.2 million people over the age of 12 misused opioids. Also, The Center for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that in 2021, over 106,500 people in the United States died from drug overdoses. Even more alarming, people as young as 15 were included in these overdoses because of an increased use of fentanyl. These statistics prompted the Government Accountability Office to classify the illegal use of drugs as a high risk and emergent issue. Currently, the White House has laid out a strategic plan that includes a multi-disciplinary approach to combat illegal drug use. The main intervention efforts focus on untreated addiction and drug trafficking and directs federal agencies to make help available for people in need, save lives, and aggressively go after drug traffickers.
Drug use and addiction impacts us all because when people are addicted to drugs, there is usually an increase in crime, criminal justice costs, and burdens on social services. Individuals who are addicted to drugs also experience a decrease in work performance, deteriorating relationships, and unpaid health care bills.
So, whether you are the son of a famous television personality like Ne-Ne Leakes, or not, it is imperative that you get help if you or someone you know is addicted to drugs. There are several options available including using FDA approved medications, facilitation therapy, outpatient counseling, and inpatient rehabilitation. Drug addiction is a battle that we cannot afford to lose! For more on seeking help for substance abuse, please call 1-800-662-4357 and visit, https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline.
References
Gramlich, J. (2017). Pew Research Center. Nearly Half of Americans Have a Family Member Or Close Friend Who’s Been Addictged To Drugs. https://www.pewresearch.org.
John Hopkins Medicine. (2022). New Research and Insights into Substance Use Disorder. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org.
Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). U.S. Overdose Deaths in 2021 Increased Half as Much as in 2020. https://www.cdc.gov.
PHAME-US 