Statistically, two years goes by before a parent discovers their child is an addict.  Common pain killers in the average medicine cabinet are opiate based, and young prescription drug abusers unable to escape the clutches of addiction eventually turn to street heroin for its affordability and availability.  By then it’s horribly impacting on families and communities.  Best for folks to educate themselves.  Here are some resources:  Time to Act • Not My Kid • Clear Choices • Parents: The Anti Drug • Adolescent Services Chances are if something doesn’t feel right, well, it probably isn’t.  Opiate based drugs are indiscriminate killers.  Not long ago one promising young Chandler, Arizona athlete played around with pain killers too long.  Drifting into heroin addiction, he met a tragic fate at age 17.   Links by Mary Slivinski