Community Corner

My Teenager Is A Drug Addict - A Father's Story

"These are not street drugs that have stolen the last two years of my son's life and put him near death - they are drugs in everyday, ordinary people's homes that they are leaving exposed and available to our youth in town."

There was an article published recently that really hit home in so many ways that I felt compelled to write this letter. It was about a funny, warm, loving young man from Madison who fought and ultimately lost his battle with drugs.

Our son is fighting the exact same battle the only difference is we still have hope that he may not lose his battle. Let me be clear nobody ever wins a battle with drugs. For those that are lucky enough to stay alive and find sobriety the fight is part of their daily life.

Our son was, or should I say is, a caring, loving, funny, smart and athletic young man. The impact he has on people of all ages and his ability to light up a room with his personality are traits that always set him apart. Of course that was before drugs took hold of him and robbed him off all his gifts.

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Like many high school kids our son started drinking and smoking a little pot. I would be lying if I said I did not expect it at some point during high school. In all honesty, I was one of those parents who probably would have lived with a little drinking and pot smoking in high school with the knowledge that he would grow out of it. In my mind it was sort of a rite of passage. After all I did both and probably some worse things. Do not get me wrong -  I would never condone it and there would always be consequences but I am a realist.

In hindsight I could not have been more misguided. The first couple times we caught him we lectured and punished him but did not really think much of it. As it became more apparent that we had a more serious problem, I began to research, read and focus on the problem.

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We started to discover our son was not only smoking pot but was using household items to get high such as cough syrup, cold tablets and even nutmeg. Yes nutmeg the spice is used as a hallucinogen. Five teaspoons provides a solid trip but a major headache the next day. This can start in middle school for many kids.

Eventually this all led to prescription pain killers, muscle relaxers, sleep aids, anti-anxiety medicines and anything else he could get his hands on. As I continued to investigate, monitor text messages, check Facebook and even set up my own surveillance, I grew to realize that most of what my son was taking he was getting from kids in school. Even sadder is that all of these kids were stealing it from parents, grandparents, relatives or friends.

These are not street drugs that have stolen the last two years of my son’s life and put him near death - they are drugs in everyday, ordinary people’s homes that they are leaving exposed and available to our youth in town.

These prescription pain medicines have lead to seven hospital visits four of which lasted a week, multiple police visits, a 30-day in-patient stay, a year and a half of hell at home that only those who have lived it can imagine and ultimately a brush with death a couple weeks ago.

He is now in a long-term treatment facility that we pray sets him back on the right path. He has used Xanax, Percocet, all the oxy pills, Ambien, klonopin, hydro morphine, tramaodol, soma, methocarbomal, Adderall and others.

If you have a teenager and any of these prescriptions medicines in your home there is a chance my son or someone like him has ended up with some. The kids who are supplying are not the prototypical drug dealers. The names I have compiled include honor students, star athletes, kids that go to school out of town, children of town officials and young ladies. They range in age from 8th grade to early college.

Please do not ever think, “It could not be my child,” you may be wrong. Some of these kids do not use but still steal and sell the drugs to make money.

While I realize at this point my son’s problem is something that he has to own and deal with, I still cannot wonder if things may have been different if we all were more responsible with the storage and use of prescription drugs.

Just because a doctor prescribes it we tend to have a more relaxed attitude. These drugs are dangerous and often lethal to adolescents and adults. Inpatient admissions have increased 400% over the last ten years for prescription medicines while every other substance inpatient admission rate has declined, including alcohol.

These drugs are more available, cheaper and are more addictive then marijuana. Please lock them up, count them, and return them at events in local towns when you can turn in unused drugs. Talk to your kids openly, ask questions. You can even purchase easy at home drug tests online or at drug stores. We have been testing our son at home for the last year and a half. Unfortunately he failed way too often.

Our son is currently in a safe place and seems to be in the right frame of mind to turn his life around. Our biggest fear at this point is that when he returns to society and to school that these drugs will still be easily accessible and readily available. These all come from someone’s medicine cabinet at home and will continue to be taken until we all become responsible and vigilant. Even if our son can build the strength to resist temptation, the idea that someone else’s son or daughter will be next is frightening. Will your child be the next to try them, abuse them, tear apart their loved ones or even end up dead? How can any of us accept this?

I did not write this for sympathy or even empathy. I have written this in hopes that this may make some people think and act to stop this madness. I pray for every family enduring the anguish that goes with adolescent drug addiction and all those families that will continue to go through this until we put an end to it.

If you would like more information or want to talk to us directly please e-mail saveourkids93@yahoo.com

Regards,

Rick Green, Clinton


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