The 15th annual survey by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) is complete and the reports are in. The study, which consists of phone and internet surveys of teens and their parents, has recorded trends among students for the past decade and a half. This year’s survey has some disturbing results, but also provides useful information about prevention.

Drugs and Gangs

The CASA study first of all calculated the percent of drug-infested schools among its subjects. These were defined as schools where “drugs are used, kept, or sold on school grounds”. It was found that 32% of middle schoolers believe they attend drug infested schools. Two thirds of high schools had drug activity. The study also looked at gangs at schools, and concluded that 46% of public school reported the presence of gangs, and that schools with gangs were more likely to also have drugs.

We may have a great deal of confidence in our kids, but the CASA study showed the danger of kids attending schools that had gangs or drugs. Teens are 5 times more likely to use marijuana, 3 times more likely to drink, and 12 times more likely to smoke, when they attend a drug-laden school. They also found that drug and alcohol use in middle or high school often means substance abuse or addiction as an adult. However, for those that avoid the temptation and peer pressure to experiment with drugs or alcohol, there is good news. Those that make it to age 21 without using drugs or alcohol are likely to never start.

Public vs. Private Schools

Studies like the CASA one can be depressing and cause us to lose hope for our nation’s children and their futures. But some of the results of the survey clearly show ways we can slow the drug epidemic among young people. First of all, there are many schools, including private schools, that don’t have the presence of drugs or gangs. Students at these schools are much less likely to get involved with drugs. 78% of students in private or religious schools said there were no drugs at their school.

Parental Involvement for Prevention

The single most important factor, however, affecting whether or not a student will use drugs, is parental involvement. Parents may not always realize it, but they hold the key when it comes to keeping their child drug-free. Teens with weak family ties are 4 times more likely to try tobacco or marijuana as those with a strong family. Spending quality time together and eating meals together are great ways to build the relationships among the family members. Parents’ attitude toward drinking or drugs also has a big impact, and teens need to know that drinking and drugs are not acceptable.

We need to educate both young people and their parents about the dangers of drugs. Parents need tools to help them talk to their kids and learn how to give their teen the best chance at staying clean. Parents can choose a positive environment for their teen to learn, and can get to know their child’s friends. By keeping tabs on what their children are doing, and building a good relationship with them, parents can help their children remain drug-free.  

Sources

Partnership for a Drug Free America Comments on CASA Survey

Drugs, Gangs on the Rise in Schools

Young Teens Becoming More Exposed to Illicit Drugs, According to National Survey 

Generation Rx is what the newest generation of young people in our country has been dubbed. This unfortunate name is sadly fitting, given the amount of prescription drugs these kids are surrounded by and abuse.

Prescription pills are really everywhere. There is a pill for nearly every ailment, and rare is the person that lives their life without taking anything. Maybe it is our age of modern conveniences, short attention spans, and quick-fixes, but it sure seems like we are quick to jump to medical intervention for the littlest thing. There are plenty of people that truly need their medications; to manage pain, discomfort, or just life, but many, many more have turned to self-medicating, pill popping, and abusing prescription medication. No wonder prescription abuse is such an epidemic for our young people – they were brought up in this environment.

Generation Rx – sad and disturbing as it may be – there is no denying the statistics. Nationwide, 26% of 12^th graders have taken prescription drugs at least once without a doctor’s prescription. The trouble is that young people have been so exposed to these drugs throughout their life, that they don’t see a danger in taking these pills. Students, especially college students, may actually think they are doing themselves a favor by using prescription drugs. In order to stay up late to study or concentrate for an exam, they take Adderall. Ambien helps them sleep when they need to. They’re used to solving problems on their own, including self-medicating if necessary.

Dangers of Prescription Abuse

Even though some people don’t see the drawback to being called Generation Rx, the dangers of abusing prescription drugs are real. Whether people want to admit it or not, kids that abuse prescription drugs are more likely to someday abuse illicit drugs. And these prescription drugs are dangerous and have serious side effects. Emergency room visits for abuse of prescription drugs is now as common as visits due to illicit drug abuse. These pills can cause increased heart rate, cardiac arrest, seizures, depression, and many other side effects.

Putting an End to Prescription Drug Abuse

Yes, there is work to be done; education young people and parents and creating an overall awareness about the dangers of self-medicating. Ohio State University’s College of Pharmacy has created the Generation Rx Initiative, which provides safety resources and information for teachers and students. The project makes available toolkits, symposiums, and community events that work to educate people about prescription drug abuse. Programs like the one at OSU can be very beneficial in putting a stop to drug abuse, and can help students and young people learn how to live a substance-free life.

Sources

The Generation Rx Initiative

Prescription Drug Abuse

Illicit Drugs on Campus Are Increasingly the Rx Variety

Young people’s use of drugs such as Ecstasy is increasing, despite warnings about such substances. Ecstasy is commonly seen in bars, at concerts, and at raves, and its popularity today suggests the message of its danger is not getting across.

Ecstasy is a hallucinogen and a stimulant that is often smuggled into the U.S from foreign countries. It is the drug of choice for partiers because of its effects. The stimulant in Ecstasy keeps the user’s energy high, and can sustain partygoers for hours. The hallucinogen “makes everything more fun”.

Drug use and raves go hand in hand. Young adults that attend these music and dance events that go on for hours and hours usually do so with the intent of doing drugs. Very few people go to raves simply to hear music – the dancing and partying while under the influence of drugs is the main priority.

Damaging Side Effects of Ecstasy

Many people would classify Ecstasy as a safe drug, and since so many people use it at raves, many people don’t think twice about using it. But Ecstasy has its consequences and side effects, and a number of people have been hurt or have died as a result of it. Ecstasy causes a rise in body temperature and extreme thirst, which causes the user to drink large amounts. The over intake of water can actually interfere with neurons in the brain, causing coma or seizure. On its own, Ecstasy can do damage, but other drugs are also commonly mixed into the Ecstasy, causing even more effects. Methamphetamine, ketamine, and other chemicals are sometimes found in Ecstasy, causing increased heart rate and body temperature as well.

Danger of Raves

Teens at raves get so caught up with the party and heightening their experience that they may not realize they or someone else is in danger. By the time it is evident that someone is in real trouble because of the drugs they took, it may be too late.

Many people are concerned about the safety of raves. There is often little adult presence, and the young people are almost all under the influence of drugs. Los Angeles has had several incidences at recent raves, including the death of a 15 year old girl last weekend. Because of this incident, the commission that oversees the L.A. Coliseum and Sports Arena announced a temporary ban on new contracts with rave producers. A meeting next week will determine the future of raves at this venue.

Preventing Ecstasy Abuse

Kids will be kids, and teenagers that attend these events want to have a good time. But putting people’s lives in danger is not worth it for a few hours of fun. The deadly side effects that these drugs cause should to be explained to young people, and teens should find alternatives to drugs and raves. Parents need to help educate their kids, and make sure they are supervised and safe, and find a better way to have a good time.

Sources

Ecstasy Facts

Drug Abuse Facts

Death at Electric Daisy Carnival draws attention to connection between raves and Ecstasy

A Closer Look: How Ecstasy harms

http://www.latimes.com/news/health/la-he-closer-ecstacy-20100712,0,7955199.story

The time will come in almost every teen’s life when they are confronted with drugs or alcohol. Some lucky ones may not experience this kind of peer pressure, but the unfortunate truth is that many teens will be asked by friends or classmates if they want to try alcohol or drugs. As parents, the best thing we can do is equip our kids with tools to say no and to protect themselves. Through ongoing “talks”, we can let our pre-teen and teenagers know what we expect of them, how we feel about drugs and alcohol, and the risks and consequences of these substances. Teens need to know that they can talk to their parents about things like this and get help if they need it.

One thing parents should also do is give their child ways to say no. When faced with a peer pressure situation, it is important for teens to be confident in their answers and their decisions, and the way to do that is to rehearse it beforehand. Parents can actually role play a situation with their teen, or at least give them these different ways to say no if they need them.

Teens can use an excuse, such as:

1.  I can’t stay; I’ve got to help my dad with something.

2.  That stuff makes me sick.

3.  I’m supposed to meet so and so in a few minutes.

4.  No way. I think you just want me to get in trouble.

Teens can explain to their friends about the dangers of these substances:

5.  That stuff is so bad for you.

6.  Why would you use that junk?

7.  Haven’t you heard about the kid in the news who died from doing that?

8.  Go ahead if you want to kill yourself – I don’t want to.

9.  You’re crazy!

Teens can also just be honest with their friends:

10.  I’m not into that.

11.  My mom would kill me if she found out.

12.  I don’t have time for drugs.

13.  I’d be suspended from the team.

14.  Forget it. There’s no way I’m going to do drugs.

15.  I’ve got more to do with my life.

Once your teen has given their answer, they should be ready to leave. It rarely does any good to argue with someone about alcohol or drugs, and it might make it difficult for your teen to stick with their answer if they stay.

Kids should be confident in their answers. So many teens that experiment with drugs and alcohol do so to feel more popular. By giving a firm “no”, your teen can actually influence their friends in a good way. Teens tend to follow a strong leader among them, and sometimes all it takes is a positive teen that says no to drugs to keep the whole group away from drugs.

Sources

Ways to say “no” to drugs

How to Say It: Drugs and Alcohol

Talking with Your Teen About Drugs and Alcohol

Schools across the country are approaching summer break, and it is a time when parents should be aware of what their kids will be doing with all their free time. The summer is when many adolescents get into trouble and start experimenting with drugs or alcohol. It is important for even teenagers to be supervised throughout the day, because teens that are bored and have no adult watching out for them will often take risks and try things they wouldn’t normally do. But since many parents still have to work during the summer, for their child’s safety, they should make arrangements for supervision for their child. Below is a list of resources parents can use to make sure someone is helping keep an eye on their child.

Camp: Summer is the time for an assortment of camps; anything from a day camp at the zoo, to a week-long sports camp, to a specialty camp that teaches music or acting or science. Camps are a good way to keep your adolescent busy.

Community Groups: Check with your local recreation department for a variety of activities going on during the summer. Your child could join a volleyball or kickball league, take swimming lessons, or join the YMCA or Boys or Girls Club.

Church Groups: Many churches have youth activities throughout the summer or offer vacation bible school for a week. Other churches have begun to open facilities for teens during the summer for recreation, tutoring, or bible study. These places are often looking for kids to make use of their programs, and it is a good way for your teen to stay active with positive influences.

Schools: Sometimes schools offer educational opportunities during the summer. This is a great way to for adolescents to not only stay out of trouble, but also to keep their minds sharp during the long summer months.

Get a Job: If your child is old enough to have a job, encourage them to get one. They don’t have to work long hours every day, because even a part-time job will help teens use their time constructively. Many places hire even young teens for the summer. The pay is not the important thing here; it’s keeping kids out of trouble. Even a lawn mowing job or cleaning cages at a local animal shelter will help your teen feel a sense of accomplishment and responsibility.

Ask for Help: If there doesn’t seem to be any option for your child to remain supervised during the summer, ask for help. Think of relatives, like grandparents or great aunts or uncles that are retired and might appreciate some company. Or a neighbor that stays home might be willing to stop in and check on your teen occasionally. You could also form a “share care” group with other parents so that each family takes a day during the week to supervise the group and then can work the rest of the week.

Sources

Parents: the Anti-drug

Prescription Drug Abuse Increases During Summer Months

Teens admit they need to keep busy to stay out of trouble

As treatment specialists, counselors, and educators, it is the job of many to keep an eye on substance abuse statistics. It is also important for teachers, law enforcement, government, and parents to follow and be aware of what teens are up to, and how their drug and alcohol use is increasing or decreasing. But we need to be careful that we do not put too much weight behind numbers and statistics. These can easily be manipulated, and can either frighten us or lure us into a false sense of security. A more accurate way to look at adolescent drug abuse would be to study 5 or 10 year trends, which will tell if the increase or decrease is likely to have significant meaning in the long run.

Monitoring the Future (MTF) is a survey that measures drug, alcohol, and tobacco use and the attitudes of teenagers toward these substances. MTF has given us data on our nation’s teens since 1975. The survey is funded by NIDA and is conducted by the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research.

Positive Statistics

The results from the MTF survey from 2009 are in general very positive. According to the research, there were drops in tobacco, methamphetamine (from 2.3% to 1.6%), cocaine (from 4.4% to 3.4%), alcohol, and hallucinogen (from 5.9% to 4.7%) use among 8-12^th graders. It seems that adolescents’ attitudes towards substance abuse are also more encouraging. Teens now see certain drugs and alcohol as harmful, and do not believe these drugs are very available to students anymore. These trends have been positive in these areas for the past 5 years, as more and more students become more educated and aware of the risks for drug abuse.

These trends are great; they are exactly what we want to see among our young people. But we have to be careful not to get too relaxed and think we are doing a good enough job with drug prevention. We still need to educate more youth, and there are still plenty of kids that are abusing these substances that need our help.

Negative Statistics

On the other hand, marijuana is still being used just as often by students as five years ago, and teens don’t really even see marijuana as dangerous. Prescription drug abuse has been steadily increasing, as well as inhalant abuse. These two forms of drug abuse are the newest trend, and they are replacing the old ways of getting high. But again, if we focus too much on an increase in numbers of kids getting high with inhalants or prescription painkillers, we can trick ourselves into generalizing that all teens are doing these things, or at least are exposed to them. We need to empower our adolescents and let them know that they are not alone, that there are many other teens that have made the commitment to stay clean also.

With cautious optimism we should prepare our students for the world and its peer pressure. Educate them, teach them the risks, and warn them about statistical trends. But then encourage them and give them confidence because they can indeed be one of the many that do stay clean.

Sources

Teen Drug Abuse Continues Its Three-Year Decline

Statistics on Teen Drug Abuse

Youth Trends

SAMHSA

Supplying alcohol to minors. We probably all know someone who does this – maybe as kids we had that favorite adult that would help us get beer for our parties. Maybe as parents we wonder who that adult is for our kids. Maybe we ourselves are the ones illegally giving or selling alcohol to minors.

The problem of underage drinking is one that has fallen by the wayside in our country. Most people just accept the fact that high school and college kids drink. There is more that we can and should be doing, and one of the first things would be to get adults to stop providing the alcohol for minors.

Parents

Some parents don’t see the harm in giving their kids alcohol, or even letting them throw parties with alcohol, as long as it is under their own roof. In some places, it is ok for parents to give their child alcohol, under supervision. This does not mean it is ok for parents to give other people’s children alcohol. And encouraging this kind of drinking and partying is not healthy for the teens. There are so many dangers to underage drinking, including alcohol poisoning, risky behavior, drunk driving, and tolerance for alcohol.

Store Clerks

Other adults that enable minors are those that sell alcohol without checking identification, or knowingly sell to underagers. Kids know which clerks will sell without checking an ID, and they will repeatedly go back to these adults for all their alcohol needs. If caught, these adults can face fines of $500 or more, along with criminal charges. If the alcohol they sold to a minor results in injury or death, the charges can be more severe. But still, some stores or gas stations experience multiple violations by their employees before they are able to get the situation under control.

Willing Buyers

Then there are those adults that are willing to buy alcohol for minors that ask. Sometimes the adults are known in the town as one who will buy. Other adults, when approached by a minor outside a store, will go in and purchase for the underager. No questions asked.

How can we expect to teach our teens to stay away from alcohol when they are getting mixed messages from the adults around them? Underage drinking is illegal. It’s wrong. Adults have no place enabling or encouraging alcohol consumption by anyone under 21.

In certain areas, authorities are good about keeping an eye on underage alcohol sales. Undercover informants will find who sells alcohol to minors, and the adults are prosecuted. But in too many areas, this problem is not a priority, and the selling continues on and on.  Better education about the dangers of underage drinking will help these adults that just don’t get it, to understand the harm they are doing.

Sources

Vacaville Woman Arrested For Underage Sale

Businesses might have served minors illegally — again

Police checks curb alcohol sales to minors

We Check ID

Young teens have been getting high from inhalants for some time now, and while the trend is still gaining in popularity, most teens (and their parents) do not know how dangerous it really is.

Inhalants like aerosol spray cans, markers, shoe polish, glue, cooking spray, and air conditioning refrigerant can be used to produce a drug-like high. Kids inhale these things, sometimes covering their faces with plastic bags or rags to keep the fumes in. The inhaling or huffing can cause hallucinations, slurred speech, loss of muscle control, the feeling of euphoria, and other effects similar to drugs.

Even though the effects are the same, many young people do not compare huffing to doing drugs. The thing that makes this type of substance abuse so dangerous is that many people can’t see the harm in it. The substances are legal and usually inexpensive, which makes them readily available. However, once they experiment with it a few times, teens can become physically and psychologically addicted.

Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome

Worse yet, some kids die suddenly from inhaling these substances. This can happen even the first time a teen experiments with inhaling. It is called Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome, and it happens most often because of stress on the heart. There is no warning before death occurs, and it doesn’t matter if a person has huffed many times before, or if it is their first time.

Education for Parents and Kids

It is important to create better awareness about risky trends like this one among young people. Parents are the ones that first need to get a handle on what teens and pre-teens are doing so they can watch for warning signs and talk to their kids about the risks. Parents should watch out for the glassy eyes, the change in behavior, or even the physical effects like inflammation of the throat. They may also find things like empty aerosol cans, discolored rags or clothes, or missing household substances.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration released information last week about huffing among children. Their data shows that 12 year old children are more likely to get high from inhalants than to use cigarettes or marijuana. SAMHSA’s studies also show that nearly 7% of 12 year olds have used inhalants to get high.

There are people working across the country to put more programs in place to educate parents, teens, and pre-teens about the risks of huffing. Parents need to be taught that kids are doing this, and how to watch for warning signs. Kids need to learn that this is nothing to mess around with and even though it may seem legal and ok, huffing is really dangerous and can result in addiction or death.

Sources 

NIDA Community Drug Alert Bulletin – Inhalants

SAMHSA

Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome Kills With One Puff

Even though it is considered by some to be the most harmless illegal drug there is, marijuana still causes a lot of problems. In a handful of states, marijuana is legal for medicinal purposes. This comes after years of advocates pushing for the drug to be legalized for patients, to treat things like chronic pain, nausea, and anxiety. Many people are trying to make marijuana completely legal, but that kind of progression seems pretty far off.

Medicinal Marijuana

For those states that do permit marijuana for medical purposes, authorities are having a hard time enforcing the laws regarding this substance. While they need to and want to maintain the rights of patients, lines are often blurred between medicinal use and recreational use. If police go after pot growers who are supplying for users for illegal recreational purposes, they run the risk of cutting off the supply also for patients who use it legally. Unless you legalize marijuana possession for growers, dispensaries, and distributers, there will be a negative effect on patients. But, if all these other people are allowed into the loop to supply it to patients, you can expect that some will be selling it to others who aren’t patients as well. The way some of these states are enforcing or not enforcing marijuana use has caused havoc for both authorities and patients.

Marijuana and Teens

Many people feel strongly one way or another about the place marijuana holds in our society. There is much support for the legalization of marijuana to relieve pain and distress to patient. But in many ways, even this is causing an obstacle for certain other groups of people, including teens and adolescents, who are easily influenced about things like drugs. A recent study done by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) suggests that the medical marijuana issue is causing confusion among teens about the seriousness of marijuana and drugs in general. Many teens today think that marijuana is not that bad for them to use, since it is legal for some patients. The result is that marijuana usage in teens is on the rise again and more teens are even in need of treatment for the habit.

Effects of Marijuana

Then there’s the question of what marijuana does to the mind and body. It may not be as addicting as painkillers, or as life-threatening as heroin, but marijuana does have negative effects on the body. It slows the brain, it effects motor coordination, and it increases heart rate. Over time, marijuana is thought to cause brain damage, including memory loss and learning problems. Some people may deny it, but marijuana also is both physically and psychologically addicting. Part of the danger with marijuana is that it is often seen as so harmless. Many people are drawn into just trying marijuana, but then they find themselves years down the line, still using it, or moving on to more dangerous drugs. Before they know it they have lost control of their lives. We need to set boundaries with this drug, and make it clear to young people that it is dangerous to get caught up with any kind of substance.

Sources

Medical marijuana-The legal questions

Medical-pot bill one political puff away from passage

Medical marijuana blurs lines on dangers for teens

Recently, I hit another milestone in my life. My 4-year old daughter told us that she wanted to run away because we didn’t love her and were mean to her. The precipitating event for her decision was the fact that her mother would not let her eat chocolate before bedtime. The nerve of that woman, how could a mother be so cruel!

I sat down on the couch with my daughter and helped her decide what she would need to pack; some food in case she got hungry, some warm clothes in case it got cold, some toys in case she got bored – but only a couple of her favorites because she couldn’t carry too many, and of course an umbrella in case it rained. Wow, lots of stuff! After our discussion, she decided she didn’t want to run away anymore and could suffer some chocolate deprivation.

I refer to this as a milestone in my life because I have used this example with many client parents we have had in treatment but had never experienced it firsthand. I have told many parents whose children call them to report, “the treatment center is locking them in the closet and beating them with sticks,” that situation is not unlike the little kid who wants to run away. If you let them go they get down the street and look at the great big world, it won’t be long before they hightail it home.

It is not unlike that with some of our clients; they are confronted with their pain and told that they are going to have to relinquish their coping skills and deal with it in unfamiliar ways. The whole experience is extremely painful. Their first instinct is to run but it is a well known fact that most addicts do not have the ability to sustain their addiction without some support, therefore we encourage family and friends to withdrawal any support other than supporting treatment and recovery.

I have had many clients prematurely leave our facilities, but once they found that no one would support/enable them, they quickly returned and began a meaningful treatment experience – not unlike the little kid who runs away from home.

I am somewhat making light of this but the analogy is a basic reaction. I know that absolutely nothing rivals the anguish and pain family members go through when they have to cut a loved one off in order to save the addict’s life…especially parents. It is completely against every paternal instinct and inclination. It is however, always necessary.

I am reminded of a story I once read about a missionary who was in a remote location in India and had a son born there with a clubfoot. This condition could easily have been corrected with surgery; however, there was no hospital for miles. One of the missionary doctors explained that everyday this man would have to turn and hold his son’s foot for 20 minutes. This was very painful for the little boy. The missionary spoke of how painful it was to cause such pain for his son. He spoke of how his son would scream, cry and yell, “I hate you,” while he turned the boy’s foot and how those words broke his heart. Then he spoke of the joy he felt when some years later he watched his son run across the soccer field.

The fact is, it is very easy to focus all of our attention on the addict and neglect the pain that their loved ones are suffering. We are constantly asking parents and significant others to practice behaviors that are completely unnatural to them. I don’t know what I would have done had my daughter got up and walked out the door or if I would have had the wherewithal to stand back and allow her to fully experience the consequences of that action; would I be able to sit on my hands until she decided to come back; honestly, I doubt it. I just want to say that we at TSN try to be aware of the family’s needs while we are taking care of their loved ones but I believe today I have a better understanding of what we are asking of them and I know I will be more empathetic. It is not that what we are asking them to do is wrong – it truly is the best thing they can do. That does not make it easy and we need to have patience with them. I also know that without stories like the young girl’s in the article below, I don’t think I could go on in this business. I am including it because I believe it may give some parent out there hope. This young girl came in kicking and screaming and wanted to leave after a week.

By Ann DeMatteo, Assistant Metro Editor
NORTH HAVEN

For the first time in four years, Barbara Hoffman is clean. ??

A drug user since 14, the 18-year-old is living in a halfway house in Florida after 60 days of treatment. “All my energy is back. My head is a lot clearer. I don’t need to lie, cheat or steal from my parents,” said the teenager, who estimates she stole money and goods from her parents worth $20,000 from the time she started drinking and using marijuana, cocaine, Ecstasy and prescription painkillers like OxyContin and Xanax.?

Her parents, Adam and Joanne Hoffman of North Haven, knew their daughter smoked pot, but were shocked to learn she was addicted to prescription drugs. Now that she’s in rehabilitation, they’re coming forward because they don’t want another family to suffer their pain.?Their world blew apart when they learned a week before Barbara Hoffman was to leave for college in September that she was on a downward spiral, addicted to OxyContin.?“I want to save another parent, another kid, from going through what our family has gone through,” Joanne Hoffman said. “Drugs should not be a secret. That’s how they thrive.”??Prescription pill addiction became an issue in North Haven about a year ago, when more than a dozen people were arrested for numerous burglaries, some dating back to 2006. Police said the burglaries appeared to be connected to the abuse of prescription drugs by some of the young people arrested.??

In North Haven in 2008, there were seven arrests involving illegal possession of OxyContin and 26 heroin arrests, according to Capt. James Merrithew, who runs the detective division. In 2009, police made 16 heroin arrests and 19 arrests for pills. Authorities said most users graduate from pills to heroin because it’s cheaper.??Police believe the addictions force users to take advantage of any opportunity to commit burglaries or larcenies.??The town’s Substance Abuse Prevention Council recently created and mailed a brochure to residents about the dangers of prescription painkillers. The town also plans to apply for a $125,000 federal grant that would help the town fight the problem, said Director of Community Services and Recreation Gerardo Sorkin.??

The council will continue to educate the community, and this spring hopes to have a program so residents can get rid of their unused prescription drugs. Talks also are planned for the schools.??“We’re very concerned that kids don’t understand how serious addiction to prescription drugs can be,” said Superintendent of Schools Sara-Jane R. Querfeld, a council member. “We’re not seeing any evidence of it at the high school but that doesn’t mean they’re not doing it.”??FROM A GOOD HOME??North Haven parents have been reaching out to Parents 4 a Change, a Southington organization run by Mary Marcuccio, a woman credited with saving the lives of numerous young people, including Barbara Hoffman.??“It’s sad, but the good thing is families are getting help,” said a North Haven mother whose daughter is no longer addicted to OxyContin. She and her daughter continue to be active with Parents 4 a Change.??Parents 4 a Change instructs parents to create an unfriendly environment for their children if they suspect drug use. Parents need to know their children’s friends and need to know where their money is going. Parents in the group said their kids have taken money from their bank accounts or have stolen items from their homes to buy drugs.??

The mother said the parents involved in Parents 4 a Change are caring people who were close to their children and made extraordinary efforts to help them once an addiction became known.??Take the Hoffmans, for example. Married for 25 years, Adam Hoffman owns Godfrey-Hoffman Associates, an engineering and surveying firm. Joanne Hoffman is a nutritionist who runs her business in her husband’s building on Broadway. Joanne Hoffman was a room mother when her daughter was in elementary school. She belonged to the PTA, she was a Girl Scout leader, and Adam Hoffman never missed a soccer game.??“I never thought my kid would be involved” with drugs, said Joanne Hoffman.??“The Hoffmans are a good example of parents who are willing to educate themselves and take productive steps to help their child,” said Marcuccio, whose monthly meetings at Derynoski Middle School in Southington now draw 80 people. “Parents are coming out of the closet.”??

Barbara Hoffman, 18, graduated from North Haven High School in June. She earned almost straight A’s, took Advanced Placement psychology, was a CAPT scholar, a varsity soccer player for four years and was in the Latin Club. She was planning to major in business.??But a week before she was to leave for Bryant University in Rhode Island, her parents found out she had an OxyContin problem. They had been aware, previously, that she smoked pot, and asked her to stop.??Barbara Hoffman said that starting at 14, she smoked pot about five times a day, every day. It wasn’t that hard to get. Drinking was more of a weekend thing, when friends would steal liquor from their parents’ homes or liquor stores would sell to underage youths.??

Barbara Hoffman said her parents didn’t know what she was doing, but some kids had parents who didn’t care that they drank.??When she was 16, she started to experiment with other drugs, OxyContin being the first. She was addicted immediately. Drug-addiction experts and many medical studies, including at Yale University, have linked addiction to genetics. In other words, some people may be genetically hard-wired to become addicts.??“We were just bored. We thought it would be fun. We thought it would be a good idea,” she said of the people she used to hang out with. She tried cocaine a couple of times and didn’t like it, but she liked Ecstasy. When her friends stopped doing it, she continued. When her parents saw the pills, she convinced them they didn’t belong to her.??“I’m a good talker,” she said.??

Her parents forbade her to smoke pot, and they started testing her for drugs. So, she stopped smoking and picked up OxyContin, which the tests didn’t pick up.??“During this time, I was breaking up with my boyfriend of three years. I started doing Oxys every day,” going from a few 40-milligram pills to 10 80-milligram pills a day.??She had a job so she had her own money.??“I stole from my parents a lot. … I pawned all my gold, my parents’ gold. At the time I didn’t think it was a big deal because it seemed like everyone was doing it. Now I feel terrible. They worked hard for that stuff and I just took it and sold it like it was mine. I can’t even go by a pawn shop any more,” she said.??INTERVENTION??The moment of truth was Aug. 27, 2009.??“We confronted her with it. … Her new boyfriend, from Hamden, was the dealer,” Adam Hoffman said.??“It was right out of a movie. She acted like a caged animal and said she wasn’t an addict. It was horrifying,” Joanne Hoffman said.??During the confrontation, they had Marcuccio on the phone and she told them what to say.??“Without Mary, the kid would be dead,” Adam Hoffman said.??She was taken to the Stonington Institute, but ran away three times and came back home, saying she could get clean on her own. She then received outpatient services at the University of Connecticut Medical Center and received a shot of Naltrexone, an opiate blocker. She was going to Narcotics Anonymous meetings.??Barbara Hoffman said she hit rock bottom on the night of Oct. 30, when she totaled her car on Interstate 91 after snorting crushed Xanax pills. She was arrested.??

Her parents gave her an ultimatum: out-of-state rehab or be kicked out of the house.??On Nov. 3, she was flown to Treatment Solutions of South Florida on the recommendation of Parents 4 a Change.??“She can probably never live in North Haven again because of the sights, sounds and smells. Everyone she knows does anything from drink to use heroin. She can’t handle it,” Joanne Hoffman said.??Adam and Joanne Hoffman attended three “intensive days” of instruction about pharmacology, drug addiction and its causes through the Treatment Solutions Network. They’ll have to attend Nar-Anon, which helps parents of addicts.??They believe that their daughter took drugs to feel better.??“She tried it and had no reason to stop. It made her feel good,” Joanne Hoffman said.??Michael Blackburn from Treatment Solutions Network says there’s a need for what his group does.??

Barbara Hoffman had 60 days of inpatient treatment before being transferred to the halfway house, where she lives with five other young women. “She’s doing well,” Blackburn said.??“This rehab is like no other. They call you on your (expletive). It was good, honest. It’s the first time I’ve been to rehab where I actually want to be clean,” she said.??Being in an area in which a recovering addict is unfamiliar helps because the person doesn’t have access to dealers. It challenges the person to get well on his or her own. “The program teaches life and living skills,” Blackburn said.??“She’s seeking a job with the support of Treatment Solutions,” Joanne Hoffman said. “She’ll start college in the fall, knock on wood.”?

If you are in love with someone who is struggling with an addiction we have many resources listed on our website www.treatmentsolutionsnetwork.com/families

Jim Bevell
CEO Treatment Solutions Network
561 577-3174
jimb@tsnemail.com