Heroin Addiction Started with the use of Prescription Drugs

I have been studying and trying to talk to parents and teachers about prescription drugs now for 7 years. But today's
Dispatch really got to me. We have here in the Columbus area a perfectly beautiful suburban family. Two parents, together, no blended family situation to blame. No urban situation to click our tongues over. To quote: "Ciara is the country's new face of heroin: a young, white, suburbanite whose addiction began at 15 (yes, that is 15) with PRESCRIPTION PAINKILLERS her boyfriend stole from his father's medicine cabinet." Couldn't write it better myself.

Officials at Maryhaven(the largest addiction treatment center here in Central Ohio) have seen a steady increase in opiate use by adolescents in the last eighteen months. The number of people seeking help from publicly funded treatment centers for opiate addiction has increased by 300% in the last decade. Here is a real stopper: "...officials at both publicly and privately funded facilities agree that young, well-educated white suburban residents are driving the increase, according to the Ohio Dept. of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services. 'The bottom line is, if you think your community is immune, think again,' said department spokesman Eric Wandersleben."

To see more about Ciara and her family, Facts about Heroin, and how to get help, see Sunday May 3 Dispatch.

Drug Education Works

Hey out there,
For all you who have to make decisions about if you are going to vote for a levy or not:

Here is yet another reason to do so. We are so busy right now worrying about the Swine Flu (yes, I know it is called something else now) and the economy let me give you something positive to think about. The Drug Education Programs are having long-term effects. Can you believe it? We actually have good news about the educational system in our nation. Alert the media folks!

If you have a sterling child that has never tried anything because you said not to, you have a child with no social life, or a well educated child who listens.


"According to a recent report in Science Daily, a school-based drug education program for teens - Project ALERT - can have a long-term positive impact on sexual behavior. This benefit is in addition to the program’s ability to curb substance abuse."

See the original article for more details.