A Cherished Nephew

REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS

Written by Steve Blow

Published in the Dallas Morning News

July 23, 2011

My Nephew is a Drug Addict.

         Zach was born about the same time as my daughter. Their younger brothers came soon after. And those four cousins were best buddies in early childhood. I can still see them playing in the backyard, little urchins in elastic shorts, completely absorbed in one make-believe adventure or another. But always with Zach in charge.

         There was no doubt Zach was the brightest of the bunch. At 3 or 4, he talked like a tiny adult. He excelled in school and was a gifted athlete. Over and over, I told Zach he could be a lawyer, a doctor, anything he wanted to be. Little did I dream his future was as a wretched drug addict.

         Naturally, I think of Zach often, but especially so following a recent study. I wish I could go back in time and shake it in front of his face. How I wish I could have changed the course of his life.

         The Columbia University report makes clear that teens who use addictive substances have a far, far greater chance of becoming addicted than those who try them as adults. Teen brains are still forming. And addictive substances do far more damage to young, still-developing brains. Tobacco, alcohol, drugs - they all set their hooks quicker and deeper in the adolescent mind.

         Get this statistic: Kids who use addictive substances at 17 or younger have a 1-in-4 chance of becoming addicted. One in 4! People who try them at 21 or older have only a 1-in-25 chance.

         I can't go back in time and warn Zach about that danger. But it occurred to me that Zach might be able to warn kids today - and maybe do it better than anyone. So I asked Zach if he would be willing to write a letter to teens. He eagerly accepted the opportunity. And this is what he had to say:

I am writing to you here on my 33rd birthday from a Texas prison. Why that matters is because I want you to know how I got here - drugs.

I have let alcohol and drugs define me and dictate the course of my life. From the time I started using at 15, it has been one thing after another. When I was in school, I heard all the "don't do drugs" talks. I didn't listen because I wanted to be popular, hang out with the in crowd. They drank and smoked pot, so I would, too.

I didn't understand that soon after, it wouldn't be about being cool; it would be about getting high. That is when I drifted off into another crowd - the one with others like me who wanted the same thing.

Cocaine and methamphetamine ruled my life from the first time I tried them at 16. Now I had to do something else to the people I loved. I had to lie. Deception became a part of my everyday life.

The drugs were now taking a physical toll on my body. I had to explain away my running nose and bloodshot eyes all the time now.

A year out of high school, I started injecting heroin. Terrible mistake, but I see now it was just the progressive nature of my addiction. That was just the next step.

Now I started going downhill fast. This new habit I had created required constant attention. I had to have it or I'd be so sick. I thought I was dying.

That's when I started to steal - first from my family, the ones who had trusted and supported me. When I couldn't do that anymore, I stole whatever would get me my next fix.

I went to prison when I was 20 for the first time. Since then it has been a revolving door for me. And with the needle comes exposure to disease. I contracted HIV and hepatitis C in 2007. Now I am on medication on a daily basis just to stay healthy.

I have three children who I am not taking care of. Thank God for my parents who have taken up that task. Not everyone is so lucky.

Please, if you ever think about picking up that first drug, think back to this. This is not a horror story. It is real life.

Life is not over for me, but I've dug quite a hole for myself. Don't do the same.

Parents, talk to your kids. Warn them that "just trying" drugs or alcohol or tobacco as a teen greatly increases their chances of addiction. A miserable, horrible addiction. And don't you accept experimentation as "just part of growing up." Tell them about my nephew. Tell them about Zach - that little boy with the curly blond hair, once so full of promise and potential.

What's Up in the Teen World of Drugs

Does This Concern You?

According to the recent study released by CASA at Columbia University:

• 46 percent of all high school students currently use addictive substances. 1 in 3 meets the medical criteria for addiction.
• 9 out of 10 Americans who are dealing with addiction started smoking, drinking or using other drugs before age 18.
• 1 in 4 American teens who used addictive substance before age 18 became addicted. 1 in 25 young adults who started using at 21 or older became addicted.

What's Wrong with This Picture?

According to the recent study released by Partnership for Drug Free.org:

• Almost half of teens (45 percent) reported they do not see a "great risk" in heavy daily drinking.
• Only 31 percent of teens strongly disapprove of teens their age getting drunk.
• Most teens, seven out of 10 (73 percent), report having friends who drink alcohol at least once a week.

When Does it Start?

• Of those teens who reported alcohol use, a majority (62 percent) said they had their first full alcoholic drink by age 15, not including sipping or tasting alcohol.
• Of those teens who reported alcohol use, one in four (25 percent), said they drank a full alcoholic drink for the first time by age 12 or younger.  

How's Your Family Communication?

• One in three teens (32 percent) thinks their parents would be ok if they drank beer once in a while.
• Only one in ten parents agrees with teens drinking beer at a party.  

Note to Parents

After reviewing the preceding Dallas Morning News article along with these statistics, this should be a golden opportunity to remind your children about your family values regarding drug and alcohol use. This is one area where it's worth becoming somewhat fanatical.

POWER TO SUCCEED

A Live Drug Prevention Program

Written by Marilyn Morris

President of Aim For Success

America has enjoyed a decade of decline in teen drug use, but this past year various national and state studies have indicated a substantial rise in teen drug use. This includes the normalization of underage drinking among young people as well as a significant increase in the number of teens using Ecstasy and marijuana. Perhaps that's why so many schools have scheduled our Power to Succeed drug prevention presentation this fall. If you're experiencing a rise in drug use or just want to help reduce the risk of drug use in your school, contact the Aim For Success office about scheduling POWER TO SUCCEED for your 6^th - 12^th graders.