Teen drug problem still underestimated

Upon the news of the apparent drug- and alcohol-related teen deaths recently in the Naperville area, it is heartbreaking that we’re burdened by such tragedies, and yet feel helpless about how to change these epidemics and restore our community’s hope.

The affordability of and ease of access to lethal substances and other drugs in this area have long been underestimated. We’re treating younger populations who have become more clever and resourceful about altering their state of reality.

Teens and adolescents are going to local pharmacies, malls, head shops and gas stations to purchase psychedelic incense, bath salts that act as amphetamines and over-the-counter cough medicines that have hallucinogenic features.

They’re getting high off prescription pain killers like Vicodin, Norco, OxyContin and Percocet at a cost of $40-50 a pill, bought from other students.

And, with the hit of the recession and many parents out of jobs, the natural progression of this type of drug use has turned down I-290, “Heroin Highway,” as it’s called, to pick up a much cheaper opiate. At an average of $10 a bag, it’s much less expensive to snort or shoot heroin.

Teens go in droves to buy the bags on the West Side of Chicago. They sell part of what they purchased at $10 a bag to friends for $20 a bag, making a profit to buy more heroin and use the leftover supply to get high themselves.

Perhaps you want to help but aren’t sure what to do. Getting involved in support groups like NAMI and free recovery groups like Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous and Al-Anon is an amazing place to start.

Let’s take the reaction to these deaths as an opportunity to work together and begin a crusade that will move us beyond the pain in our hearts.

Stephanie Willis

Mental health and addictions therapist

Linden Oaks at Edward

Naperville