New ‘Sesame Street’ Muppet can be a lifeline for kids with parents trapped by addiction
Children are hidden victims in the opioid epidemic. Any solution to our addiction crisis must cut through the stigma, or else their future is at risk. Marc Siegel | Opinion columnist USAtoday.com Alicia Reddy, a nurse known as the “addiction angel” of Staten Island, New York, for her unwavering efforts to help those addicted to opioids quit, told me about one addict who couldn’t stop using heroin despite many attempts and multiple rehabilitation programs. Finally, he fathered a child who had a severe bowel disorder requiring several surgeries. In the process of supporting his child and arranging for extensive treatment and followup, this addict finally found a purpose to his life outside of his addiction and was able to quit. Opioid addiction is more than just a disease, it is a serpent that grabs at the soul and doesn’t let go. The addiction story involves more than the growing number of opioid overdose [...]