Opioid Epidemic Hitting Our Youth Hard
Story by Cheri Clair
Photos by Bernie Laframboise
We have a prescription drug epidemic among our youth.
The Foundation for a Drug-Free World discloses, “Every day in the U.S., 2,500 youth (12 to 17) abuse a prescription pain reliever for the first time. In 2005, 4.4 million teenagers (aged 12 to 17) in the U.S. admitted to taking prescription painkillers, and 2.3 million took a prescription stimulant such as Ritalin. 2.2 million abused over-the-counter drugs such as cough syrup. The average age for first-time users is now 13 to 14.” How are kids getting drugs? The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports: “When asked how prescription opioids were obtained for non-medical use, more than half of 12th graders surveyed said they were given the drugs or bought them from a friend or relative.” Prescription drug abuse causes the largest percentage of deaths from drug overdoses. Of the 22,400 drug overdose deaths in the US in 2005, opioid painkillers were the most commonly found drug, accounting for 38.2 per cent of these deaths.
If you notice any of these signs, it may be time to talk to someone, starting with your teen. Approach them in a non-confrontational, non-threatening manner. The object of the conversation is to get them to talk to you, not for them to shut down. I met with Terence Brown, Executive Administrator, Shawn Coppins, Attorney at Law, and Amy Hostinsky, Master Social Worker at Brown’s Ferndale office. This is the team who keep things running smoothly at OnSite Substance Abuse Testing & New Frontier Counseling Services. We had an in-
depth discussion about youth drug culture, drugs in general, and their enormous effect on society. The infrastructure of the epidemic is vast. Its proliferation reaches from the streets to the government. It has many tiers including everything from distribution in schools to the big pharmaceutical companies. When I asked Terence Brown what his role as program administrator for both companies entails, he told me, “I deal daily with clients (court defendants and the general public,) employers, high school and college administrators and public and private sector human resources management. Myself and my business partner, Executive Director Jacob Fakhoury, create programs we hope people gravitate to and use for the betterment of their lives.”
Attorney Shawn Coppins spoke on some of his work with OnSite and New Frontier. “My most successful cases are those where I help people with addiction issues (street drugs or prescription medications) that are facing felony charges avoid incarceration. More importantly, because of my relationship with drug counseling agencies, I can often help them get into a drug treatment program (beyond what may be required by the courts.) In helping them get clean I really feel like I got a chance to save those people, not just help them with their legal problems.”
Clients of OnSite Substance Abuse Testing & New Frontier Counseling Services come from many different walks of life, and struggle with addictions to many different substances. Vicodin (also known as Norco), and Xanax are the leading drugs affecting most clients. Adder all is catching up. This is not cough syrup we’re 
talking here, this is not MDMA, this is not cocaine. These are serious medications which must be prescribed by a doctor for a specific patient for a specific condition or illness. Yet these drugs make it to our neighborhoods to be sold to kids who are looking for a thrill but ultimately find an empty hole.
Kids who use drugs eventually become adults who abuse drugs. Just ask Amy Hostinsky. “At New Frontier Counseling Services, my role as master social worker includes working personally with clients on a daily basis. I provide various types of therapy and education classes for those who are on probation. Most of the clients I see on probation have charges related to alcohol (such as operating while impaired) or other drugs such as marijuana possession. I am seeing an increase in clients who are on probation after being arrested for possession of analogues (pills). Many times the clients began with a prescription but then became addicted and tried to obtain the medication from the streets. Our services include substance abuse prevention, marijuana education, outpatient substance abuse treatment, and domestic violence. I really enjoy working with people and helping them get through the probation process while maintaining sobriety.”
The staff at OnSite Substance Abuse Testing & New Frontier Counseling Services are passionate, knowledgeable, and eager to help. If you think your teen does have a substance abuse issue, don’t be afraid to seek help. Onsitesubstanceabusetesting.com (248) 399-8032 22720 Woodward Ave., Suite 105, Ferndale
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