Prevention Coalition seeking ways to combat illicit over-the-counter drugs aimed at teens
The young teenager saw the police cars as they gathered outside of his home. He stood at the kitchen window, counting them as they pulled into his front yard, one after the other. 10, 20, 25, 30... He screamed at his father that the police had come, come for him.
In an altogether different reality, the father stood by his son, seeing nothing. The reality his son had created for himself had come from using bath salts, the newest form of drug abuse in which teens have flocked to, partly because of the perceived thrill, but mostly because many of the new wave of drugs are readily available over the counter at many places.
Scenes such as this are not uncommon to teens under the influence of bath salts and other illicit drugs, which lure young adults through the promise of a false ecstasy. However, with that ecstasy comes forms of horror that the unaware teens did not know existed. Fear overcomes euphoria. For some, suicide becomes a way out.
On Thursday, July 28, Holmes County Prevention member Greg Morrison gave a presentation on these illicit substances that have begun taking a serious grip on today’s teens, as he zeroed in on the dangers of what has become America’s number one public health problem among adolescents.
“American culture is driving the use of substance addiction among teens today,” said Morrison. “There is a wide variety of reasons. “There is a sense of acceptance and encouragement. When our adolescents see adults drinking, smoking and doing drugs, they believe it is OK for them to do so. Advertising is pervasive and it is everywhere. These substances are widely available and it is undermining the health of our teens.”
Morrison said that the statistics show that the earlier youth use alcohol, tobacco and marijuana, the more apt they are to get involved with the new designer drugs such as K2 and bath salts.
Morrison presented a detailed report from The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (CASA) which outlined exactly what the numbers look like. They paint a picture which shows that much work must be done, and the fight will be a long one if the coalition wishes to make any advancements in the fight to cut back on drug use amongst teens in Holmes County.
According to the CASA report, 72 percent of teens throughout the nation have consumed alcohol, 46 percent have smoked cigarettes, 37 percent have used marijuana, 15 percent have misused controlled prescription drugs and a whopping 65 percent have used more than one of the substances. The report also showed that the earlier teens delved into these drugs, the greater the risk that they would become addicted and move on to experimenting with more and more down the road.
The county recently took steps in eliminating the opportunity and availability of these illicit drugs like K2, making it illegal for businesses to carry them.
“Addiction is a disease that in most cases begins in adolescence, so preventing or delaying teens from using alcohol, tobacco or other drugs for as long as possible is crucial to their health,” said Susan Foster, CASA’s vice president and director of policy research and analysis. “We rightfully worry about other teen health problems like obesity, depression or bullying, but we turn a blind eye to a more common and deadly epidemic that we can in fact prevent.”
And so the Prevention Coalition now turns its attention to combating these over-the-counter designer drugs within Holmes County.
Much like CASA, the group will focus on several key components, including education to both teens and adults, preventing or at least delaying the onset of substance use in adolescents, identifying teens at risk and intervention, as well as providing appropriate medical treatments for teens with substance abuse disorders.
“Youth are at a developmental stage that encourages risky behavior,” said Dr. D.J. McFadden, Holmes County Health Commissioner. “They are looking for something to cure their boredom, for the next way to get that high. What we need to focus on is finding ways of preventing these unnatural highs from occurring.”
While the ultimate goal is to slow down and eliminate abuse of any kinds of drugs, the focal point on this day was the bath salts and other forms of drugs being touted as acceptable forms of drug use for adolescents. Holmes County recently put a ban on sales of all types of over-the-counter illicit drugs designed at teens, and Millersburg Police Chief said that after his department did a visual check throughout various places in the county where these drugs could be sold, they found no evidence of any on the market, which was a real positive for the county. Still, if youth want to obtain these drugs, there are alternatives outside of the county, and if they want them badly enough, they will find them.
Holmes County Juvenile Judge Tom Lee said that the group should focus on prevention rather than treatment, stating that keeping kids away from drugs and educating them is the most effective way to subdue the use within the county.
“We can spend all of our time battling, but we aren’t going to catch up,” said Lee. “We need to focus on impacting families and strengthening families.”
The general consensus among the coalition members was that the group needed to be a guiding influence in the county in leading youth to alternative forms of fun, excitement and finding that rush they seek, without the use of drugs and alcohol.
“We must always encourage positive youth involvement and encourage other interests to occupy teenagers’ time,” said Morrison. “Kids are bored, and they want to do things. They’ve got time on their hands, and they may stumble on the wrong thing if we don’t provide other avenues which are healthier. Our main objective should be to give them healthy alternatives so they can avoid risky behavior.”
McFadden said that alternatives like a rock climbing wall, athletic events, music and skateboarding provide safe alternatives in which youth can get excited without the risks of drug and alcohol addiction.
In an altogether different reality, the father stood by his son, seeing nothing. The reality his son had created for himself had come from using bath salts, the newest form of drug abuse in which teens have flocked to, partly because of the perceived thrill, but mostly because many of the new wave of drugs are readily available over the counter at many places.
Scenes such as this are not uncommon to teens under the influence of bath salts and other illicit drugs, which lure young adults through the promise of a false ecstasy. However, with that ecstasy comes forms of horror that the unaware teens did not know existed. Fear overcomes euphoria. For some, suicide becomes a way out.
On Thursday, July 28, Holmes County Prevention member Greg Morrison gave a presentation on these illicit substances that have begun taking a serious grip on today’s teens, as he zeroed in on the dangers of what has become America’s number one public health problem among adolescents.
“American culture is driving the use of substance addiction among teens today,” said Morrison. “There is a wide variety of reasons. “There is a sense of acceptance and encouragement. When our adolescents see adults drinking, smoking and doing drugs, they believe it is OK for them to do so. Advertising is pervasive and it is everywhere. These substances are widely available and it is undermining the health of our teens.”
Morrison said that the statistics show that the earlier youth use alcohol, tobacco and marijuana, the more apt they are to get involved with the new designer drugs such as K2 and bath salts.
Morrison presented a detailed report from The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (CASA) which outlined exactly what the numbers look like. They paint a picture which shows that much work must be done, and the fight will be a long one if the coalition wishes to make any advancements in the fight to cut back on drug use amongst teens in Holmes County.
According to the CASA report, 72 percent of teens throughout the nation have consumed alcohol, 46 percent have smoked cigarettes, 37 percent have used marijuana, 15 percent have misused controlled prescription drugs and a whopping 65 percent have used more than one of the substances. The report also showed that the earlier teens delved into these drugs, the greater the risk that they would become addicted and move on to experimenting with more and more down the road.
The county recently took steps in eliminating the opportunity and availability of these illicit drugs like K2, making it illegal for businesses to carry them.
“Addiction is a disease that in most cases begins in adolescence, so preventing or delaying teens from using alcohol, tobacco or other drugs for as long as possible is crucial to their health,” said Susan Foster, CASA’s vice president and director of policy research and analysis. “We rightfully worry about other teen health problems like obesity, depression or bullying, but we turn a blind eye to a more common and deadly epidemic that we can in fact prevent.”
And so the Prevention Coalition now turns its attention to combating these over-the-counter designer drugs within Holmes County.
Much like CASA, the group will focus on several key components, including education to both teens and adults, preventing or at least delaying the onset of substance use in adolescents, identifying teens at risk and intervention, as well as providing appropriate medical treatments for teens with substance abuse disorders.
“Youth are at a developmental stage that encourages risky behavior,” said Dr. D.J. McFadden, Holmes County Health Commissioner. “They are looking for something to cure their boredom, for the next way to get that high. What we need to focus on is finding ways of preventing these unnatural highs from occurring.”
While the ultimate goal is to slow down and eliminate abuse of any kinds of drugs, the focal point on this day was the bath salts and other forms of drugs being touted as acceptable forms of drug use for adolescents. Holmes County recently put a ban on sales of all types of over-the-counter illicit drugs designed at teens, and Millersburg Police Chief said that after his department did a visual check throughout various places in the county where these drugs could be sold, they found no evidence of any on the market, which was a real positive for the county. Still, if youth want to obtain these drugs, there are alternatives outside of the county, and if they want them badly enough, they will find them.
Holmes County Juvenile Judge Tom Lee said that the group should focus on prevention rather than treatment, stating that keeping kids away from drugs and educating them is the most effective way to subdue the use within the county.
“We can spend all of our time battling, but we aren’t going to catch up,” said Lee. “We need to focus on impacting families and strengthening families.”
The general consensus among the coalition members was that the group needed to be a guiding influence in the county in leading youth to alternative forms of fun, excitement and finding that rush they seek, without the use of drugs and alcohol.
“We must always encourage positive youth involvement and encourage other interests to occupy teenagers’ time,” said Morrison. “Kids are bored, and they want to do things. They’ve got time on their hands, and they may stumble on the wrong thing if we don’t provide other avenues which are healthier. Our main objective should be to give them healthy alternatives so they can avoid risky behavior.”
McFadden said that alternatives like a rock climbing wall, athletic events, music and skateboarding provide safe alternatives in which youth can get excited without the risks of drug and alcohol addiction.
Published: August 2, 2011
