Drug Use by Teens is Topic of March 27 Forum

The use of prescription and other drugs by teens will be the subject of a special parent and community forum on Tues., March 27 at the Aurora Theatre. The event, scheduled to run from 7 to 9 p.m., will include professionals in the field of substance abuse treatment. They will speak on the addiction process, the toll drugs can take on individuals and families, and treatment options.

The proportion of young people using any illicit drug has been rising gradually over the past four years, according to the 2011 Monitoring the Future survey of U.S. secondary school students, funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. In 2011, 50 percent of high school seniors reported having tried an illicit drug at some time, 40 percent used one or more drugs in the past 12 months, and 25 percent used one or more drugs in the prior 30 days, the study found. Among eighth-graders, 20 percent reported having tried an illicit drug, 15 percent had used in the past 12 months, and 8.5 percent had used in the prior 30 days.

In an interview with the Advertiser, East Aurora Police Chief Ron Krowka noted that the local area is not immune from these national trends.

He also noted that teens are abusing prescription drugs as well as some new drugs.

The trending [drugs] now are more of the synthetic variety, which unfortunately are still legal, Krowka said. K2, Spice, and Bath Salts are like synthetic forms of marijuana.

Sometimes sold online, in head shops, convenience stores, or gasoline stations, synthetic marijuana is meant to mimic the effects of marijuana (cannabis), and it often contains synthetic cannabinoids that did not appear on the DEAs list of scheduled substances, a press release from the Monitoring the Future study notes.

Among the most steadily prevalent drugs in the East Aurora area are heroin and marijuana, Krowka explained. Another concern is the ready accessibility of prescription [painkiller] drugs: OxyContin, hydrocodone, Lortab. People even take nicotine patches, anything that can do something for them.

Asked about the biggest misconception about drug use, Krowka said many people discount the way gateway drugs can lead to use of more potent drugs, especial when peer pressure and a desire to experiment play a role. If they get comfortable with marijuana, then maybe the next step is heroin. Weve seen it happen.

Among the scheduled speakers at the March 27 forum are: Dr. Paul Updike, the medical director of Catholic Healths chemical dependency programs; Sally Yageric, parent program coordinator for the Erie County Council for the Prevention of Alcohol and Substance Abuse; Matthew G. Smith, executive director of Preventionfocus, Inc.; and Ron Grossman, the supervising counselor of the Community Action Organization of Erie Countys Drug Abuse Research and Treatment Program. William Kane of the U.S. Department of Justice will address drug use trends from a local perspective.

Groups involved in organizing the forum include the theatre, the Town of Aurora, East Aurora School District, East Aurora Police Department, the Boys & Girls Club, and the Chamber of Commerce. We'd like to encourage every member of the community to consider coming, said Town Supervisor Jolene Jeffe. It's not just a school problem.

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Drug Use by Teens is Topic of March 27 Forum