Valley View Substance Abuse Forum Experts: Kids Need Parents to Help Them Make Wise Decisions

Submitted by Valley View School District:

Parents and community members need to work together to combat an “alarming” rise in prescription drug and heroin abuse among teens in the Chicago suburbs.

That’s what several experts told attendees at Thursday night’s Valley View School District 365U community forum on substance.

“We have learned that education is a powerful tool in battling heroin,” said Anastasia Tuskey, Communications Director for Will County Executive Larry Walsh. “Our kids are smart and it is up to all of us to give them the information they need to make wise decisions.”

“Ninety percent of abuses start in the teen years and fifty percent can be prevented by talking with your child,” said Mark Robinson of the Robert Crown Center for Health, the organization that, with cooperation from Walsh’s office, will help VVSD launch a heroin and drug abuse prevention initiative in eighth grade health this winter.

Robinson and Laura Carstons, also from Robert Crown, detailed the initiative which includes an in-depth look at how drugs affect the adolescent brain as well as an interactive case study based on the life of an actual addict.

Both experts indicated most addictions start in the medicine cabinet.

“Kids fear needles. They don’t fear pills,” Robinson said. “There is a perception that if it’s prescribed by a doctor, it’s safe.”

“The trend these days is for doctors to oversubscribe to control pain,” Carstons added, pointing out that leftover opioid pain pills like Vicodin, Oxycontin and Tylenol 3 should be disposed of properly rather than leaving them in the medicine cabinet.

The fact is, Robinson said, opioid pain relievers are responsible for more overdose deaths than cocaine and heroin combined. But many opioid pill users move on to heroin because heroin is relatively inexpensive these days and easily found throughout the Chicago area. Eight out of ten heroin users abused opioid pain pills first.

“Tolerance for a drug builds and it drives a person to use the drug more compulsively even if it hurts them or someone they care about,” Robinson said. “It’s not that the person doesn’t know it’s harmful to them. They simply can’t quit even if they wanted to.”

So what’s a parent to do?

“Kids do value what you’re saying,” Robinson said. “Be involved in their lives.”

Among his suggestions:

•Be a better listener

•Be absolutely clear about your stance on substance abuse

•Give honest answers to your child’s questions

•Take advantage of teachable moments

•React to situations in a way that will promote further discussions. Don’t scare them off

•Role play with your teen by taking them through various scenarios.

•Be aware of risk factors for drug use including poor school performance, depression, mental health issues, life transitions, extreme risk taking or friends who are using

“We are very proud that Valley View School District will be offering this important education to your children and helping you begin conversations with them about the dangers of heroin,” Tuskey said. “Parents are a critical part of this battle.”