Narconon's Concern About Addicted Kids
Narconon staff members don’t like the idea that anyone is addicted to drugs, but 12 years old is just too young to be addicted to opiates. Ohio has recognized that they have a problem on their hands with their kids and one facility, Maryhaven is trying to do something about it. But unless the state steps up drug education immensely, there will just not be enough beds, if the trend continues. Every state in the country already has its resources taxed to the extreme because of addiction. Let’s start getting proactive. Here is an article.
“COLUMBUS, Ohio –An alarming pattern is developing in Ohio – drug addiction by age 12. The trend has prompted Maryhaven to re-double its efforts to turn life around for young addicts.
Jacob McIntyre found drugs from friends, older guys, at the mall, at school and was addicted at age 13.
“I would take things from the family and I had, you know, I was selling drugs to support my own habit and … just living the complete wrong life,” he said.
“I’ve been in this business for 28 years and I’ve never seen as troubling an uptick in a particular kind of drug use by a particular age patient as I’ve seen here at Maryhaven in the last three years with adolescents using opiates,” said Paul Coleman, president at Maryhaven.
Those opiates include oxycontin, percoset and heroin. There is a worldwide glut of heroin, so it’s cheap and easy to get.
“It is driven far more by supply than demand. You know, we ask our patients here at Maryhaven when we admit them, ‘What is your drug of choice?’ and often they will say, ‘Whatever I can get,'” Coleman said.
Maryhaven’s teen treatment program is near capacity at more than 130 patients.
The program’s mix of counseling and education is reaching young users like McIntyre, who said earning his GED and starting college through Maryhaven gave him a goal.
“That was kind of like the star in my eye, you know. You could say I had something to reach for,” he said.
At age 18, McIntyre has already seen rock bottom. He is now clean and sober, enrolled in college and hoping to become a nurse.
He said he wants his life to stand as an example for younger users who think they are trapped by drugs.
“I’m staying out of trouble, going to school, working. I’m still having fun on the weekends, you know. It’s good stuff. You know, there really is a chance to change. Don’t ever feel like you’re stuck, because you can change,” he said.”
Narconon promotes effective prevention in the way of drug education in school and effective treatment.
Narconon drug rehab works – no matter the age for those who didn’t get the message through drug education classes.