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OPINION

Overcoming stereotypes, finding real solutions

Delaware Voice: Mandell J. Much

The word "heroin" invokes images of depraved, dangerous people to be feared, scorned and avoided.

These addicts typically lived in impoverished neighborhoods in urban communities where crime and violence were rampant. In the mid-'90s, that all changed; heroin hit mainstream, middle-class America as a result of a deliberate effort, motivated by greed, to target middle- and upper-class teenage girls, lacking in self-confidence and generally prone to risk-taking.

Young male dealers preyed on these vulnerable girls and seduced them, first with attention and then with heroin, to make them feel special, desirable and important. Their ultimate goal was to enslave these girls into a life of addiction and prostitution for their personal monetary gain. This practice diminished over time; however, for the past five to 10 years, heroin has returned with a vengeance.

Over the last decade, beginning first with pharmaceutical opiates (Oxycontin, Percocet, etc.), opiate misuse has skyrocketed. The abundance of readily available pharmaceutical opiates, through legal and illegal channels, created an epidemic of opiate addiction in our youth. Many first experimented with pills by simply rummaging through the family medicine cabinet for prescription medications.

Today's teen culture, with the influence of social media, presents many additional challenges for youth who feel pressured to fit in and stressed over the many demands of life. Facing these pressures, many youth seek refuge in intoxicating agents. They typically choose marijuana and alcohol to relieve the pressure; they then turn to opiates, usually pills and then heroin, which is far cheaper than "legal" pharmaceutical opiates.

Unfortunately, opiate are the most powerfully physically addicting drugs available.

While opiates may initially relieve these struggling youth of their stress and insecurities, in a very short period of time, typically one month, they are addicted, needing more of the drug to simply avoid a painful withdrawal.

Many of these youth turn to crime and prostitution to support habits costing up to $300 per day. Many people believe that "only" smoking marijuana or drinking alcohol is "normal" or not so dangerous.

Parents frequently say, "Well, at least she is not doing heroin." No one says, "I want to be an addict." It is an insidious process that develops over time. Early intervention and intensive treatment involving families, schools, law enforcement, communities and the courts at the initial engagement of youth in the substance abuse system is imperative to stem the tide of heroin addiction.

We cannot allow shrinking resources and public apathy to negatively affect our greatest resource, our children. We need to make hard decisions and sacrifices to help them before it is too late.

Dr. Mandell J. Much is director of clinical services at Aquila of Delaware Inc., ARGO Institute in Georgetown.