A Twenty First Century Drug Addiction

Our community has seen an epidemic of heroin use and I hear the same reports from other communities in our state. Regarding the question, “Why is America silent” I can only tell what I know of my specific small town. Conversations with other parents, social workers and county court employees have given me the following conclusion: Nobody wants to be blamed.

County social workers tried to work with the schools, to promote education on the drug problem, and hit a brick wall of denial.

Even though there are frequent reports of “heroin busts” in the news, the city council and mayor’s office emphasize this is a problem due to “illegal aliens” and drug dealers from larger cities.

It’s common for people in the area to see the families of addicts as “messed up” or “neglectful.” The blame of addiction amoung young people is dumped on the parents first and the irresponsible child next. I think there is some fear and a longing for safe, crime free neighborhoods among most of the adults in the community. But the 16 – 25 year old crowd knows what’s going on.

As soon as addiction is seen as an illness and not a moral failing, the lawmakers, school administrators and the courts will stop worrying about blame and start working to solve the problem of heroin in our community.

I think talking is working, Bill. It’s slow but I’m seeing some changes in attitudes. Sometimes it’s an editorial in the paper. Sometimes it’s a discussion about Lindsey Lohan. Sometimes it’s the local judges seeing the problem and giving out sentences that put emphasis on treatment. Somtimes, sadly, a kid from a well regarded, high profile family gets into trouble and it makes people stop and think, “Duh….maybe it isn’t just the poor kids with the alcoholic abusive single parent.”