Pubdate: Wed, 06 Apr 2005
Source: Idaho Mountain Express (ID)
Copyright: 2005 Express Publishing, Inc
Contact:  http://www.mtexpress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2296
Author: Dana Dugan, Staff Writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/dare.htm (D.A.R.E.)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)

IS DRUG USE ON THE RISE HERE?

Renaissance Alliance Counselor Facilitates Drug Rehab

How bad is drug abuse in the Wood River Valley? Teachers, counselors,
police and students are aware of it, so why isn't the general public?

One counselor comes at the issue with a highly trained eye. Greg
Greenfield, 52, learned from his own harrowing experiences. Clean and
sober for more than a decade, Greenfield remembers all too well what
drove him to drink and do drugs.

Despite his past, for 35 years he's been a working contract carpenter.
He has spent 20 of those years working around the Wood River Valley.
For the last five years he's also worked as an aftercare facilitator
for the Walker Center in Hailey, a drug and alcohol treatment center
based in Gooding. It has similar aftercare programs in several Idaho
towns.

"If they come out of the 28 day treatment, they have a follow up.
That's with me," he said. Greenfield holds group meetings that are
somewhat like an AA group but more organized, he said. His non-profit,
Renaissance Alliance also deals with drug abuse issues and has
facilitated drug awareness programs in the Magic Valley.

"Recovered addicts are the most dynamic people you'll ever meet,"
Greenfield said. "They've gone through such adversity. Sobriety is not
the end of the road, it's the most useful tool for the rest of the
road."

A bit of a contradiction, Greenfield lives simply on a large tract of
land and looks like an old hippie with long hair neatly tied back. But
instead of a mellow demeanor, he's infused with an intense energy,
street lingo and a gazillion anecdotes. He also plays piano at the
Tapestry Gallery & Wine Bar in Ketchum on the weekends, a talent he
picked up in the last four years. His passion is engaging the people
of Blaine County and to help addicts overcome the monkeys on their
backs.

"This doesn't want to be a community labeled a drugs infested
community, but it is. We live with a lack of drug awareness. We have
smoking awareness, but not enough drugs awareness. In the past two
weeks, I've seen two overdoses and two suicide attempts.

"I get a call the other day from a (adult) guy in a laundromat. While
he's been sitting waiting to call me he's hit up by two different guys
with balloons for sale."

A balloon, Greenfield explained is a $15 hit (enough for two) of black
tar heroin about the size of a fingertip twisted up inside a mini
balloon. These are smuggled in from Mexico.

However, the old image of the slumped over, drooling junkie with
vividly mottled veins isn't what he's talking about.

"What we have here, adult-wise, are a lot of maintenance junkies.
You're still an addict but you can get stuff done when you've got a
buzz on."

In his position with Walker Center, he's been amazed at how the
climate has changed here.

"That's what blows my mind. These kids are using addictive drugs. The
dynamics have changed in just three years. Then it was alcohol, coke
and too much marijuana. Not one person I knew was doing heroin.

"Now, I'm dealing with kids who're lacing strong marijuana with
crystal meth or heroin and smoking it. They go along and pretty soon
they're addicted. The thing that's got me most concerned is they're
loading up on stuff that'll kill them. It's frying their brains. I get
Humpty-Dumpty when he falls off the wall. We've got to keep
Humpty-Dumpty on the wall."

However, Eric Thomas of the Blaine County Probation Department, said
that in his office, while there are "quite a few drugs floating around
here," they haven't seen an increase in heroin use.

"There was a heroin bust several months ago and people were using
black tar then. Everybody's talking about it, but we're not seeing it
reflected in our numbers. Why is this?

"As long as people have money you won't see an increase in petty
crime, which happens when there is a demand due to a daily habit. You
don't carry it on you. Same with meth."

A traffic stop won't necessarily turn up hard drugs, but will uncover
marijuana paraphernalia.

"Do we have a problem? Any kid will say that they are exposed to
drinking and marijuana. How do you get an accurate reflection of
numbers? From arrests, but our citations haven't gone up that
dramatically. However, just because the busts are less doesn't mean
(drug use) is cured."

Sheriff's Office Detective Steve Harkins agreed. He was involved in
the heroin bust in October 2005, and the subsequent bust of a
smuggling ring in Boise.

"Any time we do an arrest it puts people into hiding. It's still
around but not as prevalent. Methamphetamine is still the number one
abused drug in the valley, along with marijuana and cocaine. It has
been for years," he said.

If the schools aren't getting through and the cops are finding it,
what can be done?

"DARE helps, educational programs help," Harkins said. "I've heard a
lot of good things about the Walker Center and Kevin Boender. But it's
a never ending battle."

Greenfield suggests parents and educators keep a look out for certain
"triggers," such as when a child's performance, energy or interests
change.

"We have to create positive relationships between parent and child.
There are new paradigms that have to be established. Let's find it. I
don't know why we can't change the rite of passage from getting drunk
and getting high to something more inspiring and stimulating.

"We have to tell our children what I told my sons: 'If I had a wish to
give you, it's that you have intellectual curiosity.' Find stimulating
activities to do with your kids. Give them structure, love, build
trust and keep the communication open.

"Life is 97 percent attitude, three percent what you run into. That's
your choice. Being negative is just learned behavior. There are other
learned behaviors like meditation, prayer and choosing the people you
hang with. It takes deliberate actions. It's the difference between
being a participant and being a seeker."
- ---
MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin