“I was wrestling with the devil for his soul,” said Jon Orens, a father to an overdose victim. Jon lost his son Daniel Orens last Fall to a substance use disorder. Jon’s late son’s 11 -year battle with addiction has led him to dedicate much of his time sharing with the public his experience.

Unlike other life threatening diseases like cancer, addiction makes you lie, steal, cheat, and manipulate the people you love. This makes addiction worse than any other disease. Initially, Jon thought he didn’t have to worry about his son using drugs because they lived in the suburbs, away from poverty and in good schools with good friends. However, Jon was wrong, drug addiction is a disease that even your environment can’t control. To Jon, drug addiction is neither a moral failing or character flaw, but simply chemistry.

As a member of the Mayor’s Opioid Task Force, a team set to combat Philadelphia’s opioid and heroin crisis, Jon has worked closely with investigators and community leaders. They’ve uncovered that legal, pharmaceutical drugs are a much bigger problem than illegal street drugs. According to Jon, 80% of drugs are provided by pharmacies, and 20% are from the streets. Jon thinks that pharmacies over prescribe their patients, and prescribe “heroin in a bottle”.

Jon hopes that the government and healthcare system will provide more resources for people in recovery. Rehab is one step, but they aren’t always affordable for everyone, and not extensive enough to ensure a stable, long term recovery. What we can do that is free and effective however is eliminate the stigma behind addiction. “Would you call someone with cancer a cancer?” said Jon. By changing the language, we can change the culture and perceptions of people in recovery, and overtime change how society treats and reacts to people in recovery.

Jon’s strength throughout his presentation was powerful. His honesty and willingness to share painful memories of his son’s life showed how loving of a father he is. I greatly appreciate and admire him for continuing to make efforts in the addiction community.