Pubdate: Fri, 13 Jul 2012
Source: Sentinel-Standard (Ionia, MI)
Copyright: 2012 Liberty Group Michigan Holdings, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.sentinel-standard.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4730
Author: Karen Bota

TEEN SUBSTANCE ABUSE IS EVERYBODY'S PROBLEM

Community Workshop Provides Information, Advice

IONIA COUNTY, Mich. - Ninety percent of all addicted adults began 
using as teens, a substance abuse expert told an audience of 70 at 
the Ionia County Intermediate School District building.

Parents and professionals from schools, hospitals, law enforcement, 
courts and treatment facilities across the county and the state 
attended a workshop on "Emerging Drug Trends in 2012" Monday. The 
speaker was Scott Kelly, executive director of BASES Teen Center in 
Charlevoix and a substance abuse counselor for 26 years. The event 
was hosted by the Ionia County Health Department and the Ionia County 
Substance Abuse Initiative.

"There's no easy answer. (Substance abuse) is big, complex and 
messy," Kelly said.

Parents have a huge role in preventing their children from becoming 
substance abusers. When parents allow any alcohol use by their 
children, teens are three times more likely to abuse it, studies show.

"When parents open the door to some use, by saying it's okay on 
special occasions or it's okay at home; then kids think it's okay in 
Johnny's basement, it's okay in the car," Kelly said. "It's important 
that parents say no."

He noted that alcohol is still the most widely used drug. Marijuana 
use is on the rise, particularly in states that allow medical 
marijuana, and more teens report using marijuana than cigarettes. Use 
of prescription pills is going up, as well. Opiate use is "zooming," 
Kelly said.

According to reports from Hazelton Addiction Treatment Center in 
Center City, Minn., over the past 25 years, heroin has become the 
drug of choice for adolescents with financial means.

"It's not just street kids (who are using heroin)," he said.

Use of medication for stress and anxiety quadrupled following the 
Sept. 11 attacks.  Xanax, prescribed more and more frequently for 
teens and adults, is one of the most difficult to detox from, said Kelly.

Methamphetamine remains a public health problem because it is easy to 
make and to obtain. Meth "hijacks" dopamine, the chemical that helps 
control the pleasure and reward areas of the brain, which makes it 
highly addictive.

"It's a pleasurable experience they've never gotten close to in their 
life," Kelly said. "These people literally go crazy."

Kelly also pointed out that high school athletes are at greater risk 
for alcohol and drug use because of high expectations and pressure to 
succeed. He said he lettered in sports, graduated fifth in his class, 
and got clean and sober at 18 in order to stay in college and 
continue to play baseball.

Teens are also becoming more creative with their drug use, like 
melting down their parents' or their own prescription medications and 
spraying them on oregano or other substances to smoke.

Purchasing or making dangerous synthetic drugs such as K2 and Spice 
has been an increasing problem in Michigan, however Kelly said he 
anticipates that the new state law banning them will decrease their use.

"Any barrier between the person and the negative behavior will show 
results," he said. "The law will help, and everyone working together 
will help."

The good news is that substance abuse treatment and recovery is 
getting to be "more of a science and not so hit and miss," Kelly said.

Treatment focuses on abusers understanding their motivation for using 
drugs and alcohol, learning to make better decisions, staying healthy 
and sober and getting along with people. Working with teens is 
especially challenging, though, because adolescents' brains are still 
developing, especially in the area that deals with impulsivity and 
learning that actions have consequences.

"Ecstasy and synthetics affect the part of the brain that understands 
consequences," he said. "These kids need to be held accountable and 
rules need to be enforced.

While the U.S. spends among the highest dollars in the world on 
health care, it scores among the worse in results. Kelly said each 
dollar spent on substance abuse treatment now saves the community $7 
in future health care and $13 in future incarceration costs.

Substance abuse should be a county-wide concern because it affects 
every corner of the community. If the problem isn't dealt with 
effectively, it becomes "a whack-a-mole," said Amy Buckingham, 
intensive probation officer with the Ionia County Juvenile Court.

"It isn't just one drug or one age or one income group so that we can 
say, 'It doesn't affect me,'" Buckingham said. "This information is 
helping us to see that addictions affect all of us. It behooves us to 
put money into treatment, not into a falling apart body."

Parents Tara Bowerman and Jessica Rowland attended the program from Belding.

"I didn't know the statistics (about substance abuse)," said 
Bowerman, who has a son in middle school. "It's good to educate 
myself to be able to prepare my son for what happens."

Rowland appreciated learning the warning signs of substance abuse in 
teens, even though her own child is just 4 years old.

"I can prepare myself, knowing the behaviors to look for," she said. 
"When you detect the warning signs (of drug use in children), as a 
parent the most important thing is to get them the help they need."

Kelly knows drug and alcohol use by teens is a serious issue. He 
deals with the effects daily in his work with teens and their 
families. But he is far from hopeless about the situation.

"Young people have addiction problems, and they can get better," he said.

For resources on preventing and substance addition, and talking to 
children about drugs and alcohol, visit www.basesteencenter.org and 
www.drugfree.org.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom