Be aware of heroin, OxyContin dangers

I work as a substance abuse prevention educator in the Ellsworth area. I teach sixth-graders about the dangers of drug and alcohol addiction as well as ways to say no and make choices for a healthier life. In the course of my work, I have become increasingly concerned at the lack of awareness and knowledge about the widespread use of heroin and OxyContin in the Down East area. I wonder how a problem this big can develop with so little recognition when the effects run so deep and threaten the well-being of our children, our community and humanity as a whole.

For anyone who does not know it, heroin is a dangerous, illegal and highly addictive drug. It is a chemically modified form of morphine that can be injected, snorted or smoked. No matter how it’s taken, it can cause death anytime it is used, even the very first. Death occurs as a result of the drug slowing the user’s breathing to the point that it actually ceases. Other complications include high risks of contracting HIV-AIDS as well as hepatitis from sharing needles with other users.

OxyContin is a legal medication prescribed by doctors as a painkiller. OxyContin and heroin are both made from morphine; heroin and OxyContin abusers switch back and forth between the two drugs intermittently when one is not available. OxyContin is a delayed-release form of the narcotic oxycodone, designed to release the painkiller over several hours. But when the drug is crushed and then snorted, swallowed or injected, the time-release element is destroyed and a quick, powerful high is experienced. Used this way, the drug is dangerous and highly addictive – not the intent of the manufacturer.

One of the reasons morphine-based drugs, also called opiates, are so dangerous is their effect on the parts of the brain that normally control the body’s automatic processes – breathing, digestion and temperature regulation as well as the pain receptors that are the intended target of pain-control drugs. Because of the opiate’s effect on the brain, an addict going through withdrawal will feel horrible in a way that only another opiate high will fix. This is part of what makes getting off and staying off of the drugs so hard.

I can never stress enough the importance of talking with kids about drug and alcohol addiction. Studies have shown that the more parents talk to their children about the dangers of substance abuse, the less likely kids are to get involved with these substances.

In recent years, we here in Maine have had some of the highest rates of opiate abuse in the country. I don’t have the answers as to how we are going to tackle this problem. However, I do believe that the first step in addressing any problem is acknowledging that there is indeed a problem. The second step is to educate ourselves so that we may speak knowledgeably to our children and others in the community. Preventing substance abuse before it starts is essential to the safety, health and happiness we all deserve in our lives.

Jessica Naylor is a substance abuse prevention educator employed by the Open Door Recovery Center in Ellsworth. Send comments about “Finding a Fix” by calling 990-8291 or e-mailing findingafix@bangordailynews.net.