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By Erin Smith

The 12th annual N.C. Gang Conference was conducted at the NC Justice Academy in Salemburg on Friday and the topic was the Opioid Epidemic. Former Major League Baseball player Darryl Strawberry, who was the keynote speaker for the day, shared his story about his own battle to overcome addiction. he is one of many sports speakers who share their experiences with young people.

Strawberry penned the book, “Don’t Give Up on Me,” detailing his life. The book offers a poignant glimpse of the abuse he suffered and his battle to become sober.

He detailed his accomplishments as a baseball player which include home run records, four World Series championships, Rookie of the Year honors, two time Silver Slugger award New York Mets Hall of Fame, and National League Home Run Leader in 1988.

“I accomplished these things because I was in pain,” said Strawberry. He added that people just assumed he was okay because of his accomplishments.

“Brokenness is real. Addiction is real. No one signs up to be an alcoholic or drug addict,” said Strawberry.

He said everyone simply assumes you are okay because you’re successful. Strawberry said that simply is not the case. He said everyone has problems, it is how they choose to cope with those problems that is the real issue.

“We can all look great on the outside, but if the inside is not well, the person will use something to escape,” said Strawberry.

He said his life of addiction began at the age of 13 years old when he started using marijuana to cope with an abusive childhood. Strawberry said when he was 14 years old his father threatened to kill the entire family. He describe horrific beatings administered to him at the hands of his father.

Strawberry credited his wife, Tracy, with helping him to beccome sober and stay sober. He said 14 years ago, he was getting high and his wife was knocking on doors of drug houses searching for him and taking him home.

Strawberry said she told him that God had a bigger plan for him in his life. Today, Strawberry operates the Darryl Strawberry Foundation which is dedicated to children with autism. He has also founded the Darryl Strawberry Recovery Centers offering substance abuse treatment. Strawberry said one of the clinics has been converted to a faith-based recovery treatment center.

Strawberry said children are dying in high numbers and there is a sense of urgency across the United States to combat the problem of children and teens abusing prescription medications.

Strawberry said there is a spiritual brokenness with addiction.

“I was empty. I just accumulated a bunch of stuff. Addiction robbed me from my children. I threw away millions of dollars and it cost me two marriages,” said Strawberry.

He recounted how he as been to prison, admitted to the psychiatric ward and a county jail, all because of his addiction.

Strawberry and his wife now have a ministry, www.strawberryministries.org.

Also, the gang conference offered information about he legal issues faced by the District Attorneys and law enforcement when it come to addiction. Ernie Lee, District Attorney with the Fourth Prosecutorial District, and Billy West, District Attorney with Cumberland County, both addressed those in attendance.

They said that as of 2015, addiction costs the United States $78.5 billion. They also said Fentanyl use is increasing over the past three years.

“In August 2017, President Trump declared and opioid emergency,” said Lee.

They also spoke the difficulties encountered in prosecuting opioid cases. It is very difficult to charge a dealer with first degree murder as one must prove pre-meditation. Both West and Lee said there have been incidences where a dealer was charged with second degree murder.

West said, currently, case law says that even with a second degree murder charge, the District Attorney must still prove malice. He said malice means the dealer knew the substance he was selling has something in it or does have a history of making people sick.

West said there is option to charge a dealer with involuntary manslaughter when a substance causes someone to become sick or die. The issue is the victim is voluntarily taking the substance that caused them to become sick.

Lee said, “The addicts need more options than jail. We are using our prison system as a treatment system and it is not set up for that.”

They also briefly discussed the Fayetteville Police Department’s LEAD program which is a jail diversion program and a needle exchange program.