Parents in Lake Zurich, Ill., are concerned about teen heroin use, especially because three Lake Zurich High School alumni have died of heroin overdose within the past 14 months. One mom, Michelle Hines, is taking action. She has initiated a local drug forum where parents can learn about drug use in their community.
Hines commented: "When I found out about all the kids dying, I thought, 'Enough already.' Someone's got to do something. We've got to fight back. Heroin is in our town and kids are dying. If parents don't know it's here, then they can't educate their kids. We're doing the best we can to let them know."
In December 2008, 19-year-old Kelly Gawron, a Lake Zurich High School alumnus, was discovered dead in her bed after overdosing on heroin. Then, in June 2009, a 22-year-old former student died in the hospital three days after he overdosed on heroin. Only one month later, a 21-year-old former student died in a halfway house of an overdose.
Needle marks, also called "track marks," used to be a tell-tale sign of heroin use. However, with a dramatic increase in the purity of heroin available over the last few years, users no longer need to inject heroin. The drug can be smoked or snorted. One objective of the forum is to inform parents about changes like these. Another objective is to fight the "not my kid" attitude that many parents may have.
Hines commented: "There have been so many parents who believe this would not happen to their kids. Their kids are in sports. Their kids are in every activity, and there's no sign of foul play. The signs aren't the same anymore."
(Source: dailyherald.com)
Labels: drug overdose, heroin
Posted By: Aspen Education Group
We need to keep this topic front and center. To do my part I published a free drug prevention website based on my undercover drug experiences. You can find it at http://www.parentnarc.org.