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Parents Do Make a Difference

When it comes to teen drug abuse, parents matter

By Denise Moran For The Beacon-News January 16, 2012 12:38PM

ST. CHARLES — In the 1939 classic children’s movie “The Wizard of Oz,” Dorothy and her pals are traveling down the yellow brick road when the evil Witch of the West casts a spell to turn the landscape into a field of poppies. Dorothy, her dog Toto and the Cowardly Lion all fall into a deep sleep. The spell is broken when Glinda, the good Witch of the North, brings about a snowfall to wake them up.

Heroin is a highly addictive drug derived from morphine, which is obtained from the opium poppy. In real life as opposed to “reel” life, there is no good witch to cast spells in order to keep our kids and teens safe. Parents need to step up and be the ones who steer them away from using heroin, alcohol and other drugs.

According to The Partnership at Drugfree.org, 11 million Americans between the ages of 12 and 29 have a substance dependence or abuse problem, and 90 percent of them are not getting the help they need.

Last week, the Kane County sheriff’s office presented a program for parents and other adults who care for kids. Speakers included Sheriff Patrick Perez, Undersheriff David Wagner, and Lea Minalga, drug counselor and director of Hearts of Hope in Geneva.

“Parents are the key in terms of educating children and teens about drugs,” Wagner said. “Kids who learn about the danger of drugs at home are 50 percent less likely to use drugs.

“We encourage open and honest dialogue. Some kids will start smoking marijuana by age 11. Parents should start drug education around age 9.”

Heroin use on rise

A recent report by Roosevelt University and The Illinois Consortium on Drug Policy said the Chicago metropolitan area ranked among the worst nationally for heroin-related problems.

The study showed that heroin has become the most commonly used drug after alcohol and the most common illegal substance for which individuals enter treatment. While there were 4,150 public treatment admissions for heroin use in Illinois in 1998, the number rose to 17,411 in 2008.

A recovered heroin addict explained how she began experimenting with drugs at age 12.

“I was a cheerleader and a straight-A student with low self-esteem,” said Carrie Brummel of Batavia. “I got caught up in the wrong crowd. I was introduced to cocaine at age 15 and dropped out of high school. I stole from my family to support my habit and was arrested at age 17 for forgery.

“I left home at age 18 and moved in with a drug dealer in Chicago. He was arrested and sent to prison. I was too ashamed to go home, so I started prostituting myself to support my drug habit. I was arrested many times and beaten. I have scars from when I was thrown out of a third-story window. My mother found me in a Chicago hotel. The minute I could get up, I was gone again.”

The turning point came when Brummel’s sister found her and announced that their father was near death.

“I spent three weeks in jail while my dad was dying,” she said. “I visited him during the day and slept in jail at night. I promised my father that I would take care of my mother. I now live with my mother and my three children. I’ve been clean for 10 years. I still apologize to my mother.

“I never want to go back to where I was. I’m hoping I can help parents and their kids avoid what I went through. Know your kids, and learn the warning signs.”

Prescription abuse

Wagner warned that prescription drug use among teens is growing.

“Kids use these drugs to get high and to regulate their lives,” Wagner said. “It’s estimated that 2,500 kids a day get high off a prescription drug for the first time. They are abusing stimulants like Ritalin and Adderall to give them energy. They use pain meds like Vicodin, OxyContin, Percoset and anti-anxiety benzos like Xanax, Klonipin and Ativan to cope with academic, social or emotional stress. They abuse prescription amphetamines to lose weight or steroids to bulk up.”

Things to watch for include: a change in friends; declining grades; use of incense or perfume to hide smoke or chemical odors; “coded” language with friends; evidence of drug paraphernalia such as pipes and rolling papers; evidence of use of inhalant products such as hairspray or nail polish; eye drops for bloodshot eyes; use of mouthwash or breath mints to cover the smell of alcohol; and missing prescription drugs, especially narcotics and mood stabilizers.

“Talk with your kids continuously,” Wagner said. “Express your disapproval of drug use. Monitor the prescription drugs in your home. ... Know where your child is, what they are doing, and when they will be home. Know your teen’s friends and their parents. Establish and enforce rules.

“You do matter.”

 

2011 News



Heroin's lethal return

May 17, 2009
By MATT HANLEY mhanley@scn1.com

The police report paints a chilling scene.

A man comes home to find his 26-year-old girlfriend injecting heroin. It is 10:46 a.m. on a Tuesday. She is seven months pregnant. Officers find six syringes on her bed.

Mom will face felony charges the day the baby is born.

This case is just one dramatic example of a trend police are seeing in the Fox Valley: Most local police departments say heroin is popping up more often, and they're worried about the consequences for both users and non-users.

The issue came to the attention of Aurora police after they made arrests in a string of home and car burglaries. The suspects admitted they were stealing to support a daily heroin habit.

"Heroin?" thought Aurora Lt. Paul Nelson. "Who does heroin anymore?"

Those kind of reports, as well as the March overdose death of a Joliet teen, prompted Aurora police to conduct a review. They found what they had begun to suspect anecdotally.

More people were being arrested on heroin charges and more heroin was being recovered.

Between January and April 2008, Aurora police took 7.12 grams of heroin off the streets. In that same time period this year, they have confiscated 37.21 grams -- a fivefold increase.

At the same time, arrests for heroin possession or paraphernalia went from four to 11, putting Aurora on pace to nearly triple the number of arrests. Around the Fox Valley, the story is the same.
(FULL STORY AT LINK BELOW)
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/news/1577900,2_1_AU17_HEROIN_S1.article


'Wake-up call' for Aurora
Group holds vigil for teen who died of overdose
REPRINTED FROM THE MAY 30,2009 AURORA BEACON NEWS
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/news/1599231,2_1_AU30_VIGIL_S1-090530.article

May 30, 2009
By ROWENA VERGARA rvergara@scn1.com

AURORA -- They didn't all know each other, nor did they all know Amber Thompson.

But the group of 12 who gathered on South Fourth Street for a vigil for the would-be college-bound Joliet teen felt they needed to be there -- for Thompson's family, the neighborhood and for any youths being lured by drugs.

"Amber is a reminder that illegal drugs will never solve our problems. ... May all who were involved in this see this as a wake-up call and may this be a wake-up call for our whole city," the Rev. David Engbarth said.

Forming a circle, their heads bowed and eyes closed, the Prayer Coalition for Reconciliation gathered in the 300 block of South Fourth Street where Thompson was the night she used heroin.

Thompson, who would have graduated from Minooka High School this month, died March 22 in Aurora after she injected heroin the night of March 21 in an Aurora apartment and snorted heroin in the morning, police said.

According to police, Thompson and a friend, Kyle Hayes, 20, of Sandwich, met two other men in an Aurora apartment.

Twice throughout the night, the men performed CPR on Thompson to revive her, according to police. The next morning when Thompson couldn't wake up, Hayes began to drive her to the hospital.

Instead, he stopped at a gas station and called 911, police said. Paramedics found her barely breathing.

Hayes, and two Aurora men, Ryan Faber, 25, and Christopher Parker, 22, have been charged with drug-induced homicide.

Friday's vigil became a message of public awareness that drug abuse is happening in Aurora, but residents can help fight it.

The Rev. Dan Haas spoke of the importance of contacting police when someone suspects drug activity.

"Somewhere on this stretch is a known place where people can get heroin," he said, before asking God to protect, heal and comfort that neighborhood.

Across the street, a mother was taking a walk with her three young children. A few houses down, neighbors in the East Side historic district looked on. Cars with loud sound systems zoomed pass in both directions.

None of Thompson's family members attended the vigil. But Joretta Hill of Montgomery, who befriended Thompson's parents since their daughter's death, shared a few words.

According to Hill, Thomspon's friends knew that she did heroin one time. Her friends warned her that if she did it again, they would tell Thompson's parents.

"She did it again, and that was the last time," Hill said.

From January to April, Aurora police have confiscated five times more heroin than last year.

"Lord, sweep over every neighborhood in Aurora, but especially here," Pastor Randy Schoof said.


THIS IS AN EXCERPT FROM AN ARTICLE PUBLISHED IN THE BEACON ON MAY 17TH.  THE LINK FOR THE WHOLE ARTICLE IS AT THE BOTTOM.

She had to make the call
Eight months after her daughter’s fatal heroin overdose, Joretta Hill contacted Amber Thompson’s family to let them know they were not alone

May 17, 2009
By MATT HANLEY mhanley@scn1.com

Joretta Hill never had any doubt she would make the phone call. She had to.

The Thompsons were just starting to live her nightmare. They were grieving the death of their daughter, who died of a heroin overdose.

Hill knew a lot of the world would be ready to write her off as an addict who got what she deserved.

So Hill had to tell them they were not alone. She wanted to ask for the mother. Tell her that if she needed anything, she would try to help.

http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/lifestyles/1578139,stortyeller-main_au051709.article

















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2008 News
Important legislation was voted on that will force insurance companies to treat substance abuse as a disease rather than a mental health issue. 

Your message was heard. Here is an update taken from the Faces and voices of recovery website.

 

"Victory on Ending Insurance Discrimination in Sight!
On Tuesday, the US House and US Senate voted on the "Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act." The House approved the bill, H.R. 6983,on a vote of 376 to 47.  In the Senate, the bill was included as part of a much larger bill, what’s called the tax extenders package, on a vote of 93 to 2.  While both bills are the same when it comes to how they will address insurance discrimination facing people with addiction and mental illness, each has a different way to pay for the bill. Those differences must be addressed before a final bill can be sent to the President for his signature."  (www.facesandvoicesofrecovery.org) 

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Here is the response I received from Barack Obama regarding the issue of making insurance companies treat Abuse as a disease-  Please note that his office did not understand what the issue is..I of course, have written a new email explaining that I was not talking about mental health care at all....   We need to continue to get the information before our congress so they understand.

Dear Anita:

Thank you for contacting me regarding mental health parity. I appreciate hearing from you and share your concern. Promoting affordable and accessible health care is a priority of mine in the U.S. Senate. Health care is a right for everyone, not a privilege for a few. Not only must we work towards covering every American, but coverage must be comprehensive. A truly comprehensive health care system must provide for medical, surgical, and mental health care. As a society, we have historically neglected to view mental health care and medical health equitably. Great strides in parity and understanding have occurred over the last couple decades, with the stigma surrounding mental illness decreasing and coverage for mental health increasing. However, too many health plans continue to offer limited coverage for mental illness, with high deductibles and co-payments, and limited coverage for hospital stays and office visits. We should not neglect those who are suffering from mental illnesses, which are biologically rooted, scientifically sound, and often, completely treatable. Illinois is one of 21 states mandating full-parity mental health coverage. However, these laws are limited in scope and do not apply to self-insured group health plans. In 1996, Congress enacted the Mental Health Parity Act (MHPA), which has been extended through December 2005. While MHPA was a step forward in the right direction, much work remains to be done. To that end, Senators Ted Kennedy (D-MA) and Pete Domenici (R-NM) have introduced the Mental Health Parity Act of 2007 (S.558), which calls for the expansion of MHPA of 1996 by requiring that employer-sponsored group health plans treat mental health care the same as medical and surgical care. I am proud to be a cosponsor of this critical legislation. S.558 passed the Senate with an amendment by unanimous consent in September. It now awaits consideration on the House floor. I vow to continue to work with my colleagues to get mental health parity signed into law. Again, Anita, thank you for contacting me. I wish you good health, and feel free to contact me in the days ahead.

Sincerely, Barack Obama United States Senator

A similar response was received from Senator Richard Durbin.

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This is a great article about the funding cuts proposed by Governor Blagojevich...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/greg-harris/governor-blagojevich-do-r_b_123299.html

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The Aurora Beacon news ran an article on Sunday, Sept 28, 2008 about a Grant that Aunt Martha's received

"This funding will enable Aunt Martha's to expand its mental health and substance abuse services in Aurora to an additional 1,200 adults and 600 children.The agency plans to better integrate mental health and substance abuse services into primary care, providing additional psychiatric appointments and employing a bilingual therapist to serve the needs of Spanish-speaking patients." (Beacon News)

The link below will allow you to read the whole article.

http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/news/1189466,2_1_AU28_MARTHA_S1.article

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