Pubdate: Sat, 12 Nov 2005
Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (WI)
Copyright: 2005 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Contact:  http://www.jsonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/265
Author: Dan Benson
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/oxycontin.htm (Oxycontin/Oxycodone)

USE OF DANGEROUS DRUGS CLIMBING, PARENTS WARNED

Heroin, Oxycodone Cases Are Increasing In Area

Clad in an orange Ozaukee County Jail jumpsuit, 19-year-old Ryan J.
Hinkle stood before Circuit Judge Tom R. Wolfgram on Wednesday and
waived his right to a preliminary hearing on a charge that an officer
caught him and 18-year-old Whitney L. Morton with a syringe full of
heroin in a Cedarburg public restroom.

The arrests are evidence that heroin use by teenagers and young adults
continues to be "a huge problem" in Ozaukee County, Sheriff's
Detective Jeff Taylor told about 150 parents, teachers and school
counselors at the fourth annual Drug Awareness Night.

Grafton Schools Superintendent Jeff Pechura called drug use by teens
"a detour in life that is most unnecessary."

Michael McGowan, a family therapist and addictions counselor, said:
"When a kid uses chemicals, many things happen, and all of them are
bad."

Heidi Mortensen of Cedarburg attended the session because she wants to
prepare herself and her three children - in the first, fifth and
eighth grades - for the reality of drugs.

"I want to try to be as prepared as possible as we can and help them
resist drugs," she said.

"My kids are, like, 'I know, I know,' when I talk to them about it,"
she said. "But I don't think they realize they could be
approached."

Five years ago, heroin was a problem that did not exist in Ozaukee
County, Taylor said.

"Now, when we arrest someone for heroin, they say they know at least
20 to 25 others who also are using," Taylor told those attending the
meeting, which was organized by area school districts and the Ozaukee
Council, a non-profit group that works to combat drug, alcohol and
tobacco use by area youth.

This year, the Ozaukee County Sheriff's Department has seized 33.2
grams of heroin, nearly five times the amount seized last year and
three times the amount seized in 2003.

Taylor is a member of the Ozaukee County Anti-Drug Task Force, a unit
that includes a Sheriff's Department lieutenant and undercover officer
and officers from local municipalities.

Taylor deals mostly with teens and young adults in Ozaukee County.

"Eighty to 90 percent of what I do is deal with kids 17 to 25 years
old," Taylor told the audience.

In Washington County, the story is much the same.

Washington County Sheriff's Detective Joel Clausing said that while
marijuana remains the No. 1 drug used by teenagers, there is a marked
increase in the abuse of prescription medications, especially
oxycodone, a highly addictive narcotic found in Vicodin, Percocet and
other painkillers.

"They're stealing it from their parents and either using or selling to
other kids, who don't know what they're getting," Clausing said.

While heroin use has not appeared in Washington County, Clausing said,
it's probably only a matter of time because those who become addicted
to oxycodone can turn to heroin.

Heroin-like high

Misused, oxycodone can deliver a heroin-like high.

"People get hooked on the oxycodone, but it's so expensive that they
switch to heroin because it's cheaper," he said. "Shooting up (heroin)
is the last step."

So far this year, 558 prescription tablets, including 323 containing
oxycodone, have been seized, mostly from teenagers, by Ozaukee
County's Anti-Drug Task Force, Taylor said.

"Prescriptions drugs have exploded," Taylor said.

In Washington County, officers have seized 451 prescription tablets,
including 260 containing oxycodone.

Washington County Sheriff's Department Lt. Paul Buth, who is the head
of the Washington County Multi-Jurisdictional Anti-Drug Task Force,
said prescription drugs aren't taken as seriously as they should be.

"A lot of parents and kids aren't seeing it as a threat. A kid who may
not inject a needle in his arm doesn't think twice about chopping up
one of mom's pills and eating it or snorting it," Buth said.

And the users are getting younger, he said.

"The ones with larger amounts (of drugs) are older. But in the
reports, the users sure seem to be getting younger," Buth said.

Middle school too late

Another drug that officials are seeing more is hallucinogenic
psilocybin mushrooms.

"Psilocybin mushrooms are real big now," Taylor said, noting that
users usually ingest the mushrooms with foods such as peanut butter,
pizza or chocolate.

McGowan said that if parents wait until their children are in middle
school to talk about drugs, it's too late.

And once they start using drugs, they likely will continue to use
drugs with greater frequency and the intensity of the drugs will
continue to increase "until something substantial happens to them."

The "substantial" something may be getting arrested, being suspended
from a sports team or injuring themselves or someone else, he said.

Or it could be simply a matter of hurting their parents, he
said.

"The number one reason teens give for either not trying or giving up
drugs is, 'My mother will kill me,' " McGowan said. "The second major
reason is, 'My coach will find out,' " which suggests that involving
kids in extracurricular activities is one way to help combat drug use.

Education is the key

But Taylor said don't assume that because teenagers get good grades
and are involved in sports or other activities that they aren't using
drugs.

"More and more, we're seeing not just dopers, but we're seeing kids
from fantastic families," and athletes and students with perfect
grades, Taylor said.

To prove his point, Taylor showed photos of drugs and cash and even a
loaded handgun he found in the rooms of high school students.

McGowan said the keys to preventing children from drinking, smoking
and moving on to drugs are through education on the ill effects of
those substances, helping them develop skills in coping with life
problems and supporting a healthier lifestyle, which may mean helping
them live a more disciplined life.

"Imposing a curfew can be seen as 'support,' " McGowan
said.

Clausing meets monthly with officials from schools and local law
enforcement to share information on drugs and other issues in their
schools.

While drug use among teenagers seems a constant, there are victory
stories, he said.

"West Bend has been very quiet this year because we arrested a couple
large suppliers in the West Bend area this summer," Clausing said.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin