Published: November 03, 2009 07:58 am      

Whitten repeating presentation at ECU about son's death, drug addiction

ADA — Reggie Whitten, the Oklahoma City attorney who told an overflow crowd at East Central University last August about his son’s drug addiction and death, will return to the campus Wednesday to give more people an opportunity to hear his multi-media message about the effects of addictions and substance abuse.

The program will be from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Estep Multimedia Center in the University Center and is free and open to the public.

Whitten will speak at 3 p.m. A panel discussion will follow with representatives from the Oklahoma Legislature, Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services and various law enforcement and substance abuse agencies.

“His presentation in August was so well received that, unfortunately, we were not able to accommodate everyone who wanted to come,” said Dr. Regina Robertson, ECU associate professor of human resources. “He graciously agreed to come back for an additional program.”

Whitten deals with the issue of addiction in Oklahoma and the impact it has on personal, social and financial levels.

His son became addicted to prescription medications and died in a motorcycle crash.

“My son didn’t die in an accident,” he said in August. “It was bound to happen.”

After spending years researching addictions, Whitten said, he now understands that alcohol, drugs and tobacco change a person’s brain chemistry.

“Today, my job is to convince you of something,” he told his audience in August, “that of all the problems we have in this country, addiction and substance abuse is No. 1. And No. 2 is not even close.”

Continuing education credit is approved for licensed professional counselors (LPC), licensed alcohol and drug counselors (LADC) and certified alcohol and drug counselors (CADC). Other credits are still pending.

For more information, phone Dr. Regina Robertson, ECU associate professor of human resources, at 580-559-5647.