On Thursday afternoon President Donald J. Trump declared the opioid epidemic in the United State a "Public Health Emergency," but for the parents of Eric Blom who died of a drug overdose that decalaration offers them little solace.
Eric first tried opioid in 7th grade when he realize they were easier to get than alcohol or marijuana. His parents says the talented young artist spent the rest of his short life battling addiction. After getting hooked on opioids, Eric then turned to heroin, the drug that would end his life on May 1, 2014.
"He was desperate that night, he decided he was going to use heroin one more time, he’d been clean for six months and it killed him," his mom Cindy says still holding back tears years later.
For the Bloms a public health emergency is the start but not the ultimate solution to a problem that has torn apart families like theirs.
"There’s over two years of after care that has to happen, we have to look at things from a different lens. We can get them sober and stabilized and get them jobs and hope that’s what keeps the relapse going," Cindy says.
The Blom family is building guitars to help others dealing with addiction. For more information: www.blomguitars.com
