A pharmacy on the Michigan Tech campus has been robbed for the second time in a month. All the thieves take is prescription drugs. Prescription drug addiction is a big problem in Michigan, but it’s the same all over the U.S. at this point. There are probably millions of people who need to get into a drug rehab because of prescription drug addiction, dependency and abuse.

“It starts in high school,” said local police chief, John Donnelly.  “It carries over to college.  We’ve also seen a lot of it in the professional world.”  In fact, it starts a lot sooner than that. Even grade school kids are taking them.

Parents have to be diligent. Did you know that most parents don’t find out their kids are taking drugs until the kids have already been taking them for six months to two years? At that point, they already need drug rehab.

If you know someone taking prescription drugs, it’s best to get them into a drug rehab program early. As with street drugs, the longer a person has a drug problem the less chance there is of them ever recovering.

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Centers offering drug rehab in Florida - the pill capital of the U.S. - are probably used to kids with prescription drug addiction problems showing up for treatment. But Florida’s not the only state with a problem: According to a recent news article, Kentucky and Indiana also have big prescription drug problems.  Will drug rehab centers have to open special facilities for kids?

Most drug rehab centers only service those over the age of 18. The two girls in this news story started when they were 13. They’re now 16 and 17, and in rehab.

Really, the future is starting to look surreal: Millions of teenagers addicted to the prescription drugs they find in their parents medicine cabinets, millions turning into drug addicts while they’re still in their teens, and millions needing drug rehab.

What can we do about it? Parents, find out about the drug scene today and talk to your kids about the dangers of prescription drugs. Kids whose parents talk to them about it are 50% less likely to get involved. And lock up the drugs in the house or get rid of them. And, for those kids who already have a problem, get them into a drug rehab program fast.

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Ecstasy, also known as MDMA, is a party drug that is not considered to be addictive. Here’s the story of one young man, Jeff, who, at 18, had been addicted to Ecstasy for three years when he was stopped by police. To hide the evidence, he swallowed all 16 pills in his possession. He wound up in the hospital. He’s now been clean for two years. Unfortunately, he did it the hard way - without the aid of a drug rehab program - but he made it.

Jeff started taking Ecstasy when he was 16. His habit grew to about $450 a week, and he was stealing to be able to afford it. He became seriously debilitated - went from 180 lbs to 90 in just a few months.

“What parents should know,” Jeff said in a recent news report, “is not only are the drugs bad, but so are the people dealing them. Most keep rifles and some have hand guns. If you cross them or aren’t able to pay them I guarantee they will not think twice about busting down your door and shooting you in the head. I’ve been there.”

Not quite the party Ecstasy users count on.

If you know someone taking Ecstasy, get them into a drug rehab program. Being stopped by the police was a stroke of good luck for Jeff. Who knows how long he would have laster otherwise.

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According to a news report in The Daily Iberian, a newspaper out of Louisiana, police recently arrested a ‘granny’ for selling prescription painkillers. She’s currently out of jail on $100,000 bond. Police said they don’t see grannies selling drugs too often. Unfortunately, the article didn’t say whether or not the person selling the drugs was also addicted herself. Many people who sell drugs do so to support their own habits. Is there any reason to think the same thing won’t happen with seniors? If that was the case with the granny, let’s hope she gets into drug rehab rather than prison.

Unfortunately, seniors who have a drug problem don’t usually tell anyone about it.  Sometimes even family members don’t know anything about it until their grandmother or grandfather dies of an overdose. Medical examiners have said that the problem might be much worse than is known - when an older person dies there often isn’t an autopsy: It’s assumed that there was nothing unnatural about the death because they were older and, possibly, had existing medical conditions.

If you know of any seniors taking prescription drugs - anything that could be addictive: painkillers, benzos, amphetamines - check out what they’re taking, how much of it, and for how long. And get them into a drug rehab program so they can get the help they need.

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Here’s another high school to add to the list of those in big enough trouble with drugs that they’re taking aggressive action. This one’s called Battle Mountain High School, and it’s in Colorado. Officials said they’re starting random drug testing at Battle Mountain High for all students involved in extra-curricular activities - that’s 75% of the student body. They hope the testing will keep people from using drugs, and that those who need help will get into drug rehab.

Yesterday I wrote about a high school in Fallbrook, CA, near San Diego, that’s going to start using drug-sniffing dogs to ferret out drugs.

As the prescription drug addiction and abuse epidemic continues to rage out of control, I think we can expect to see more and more of this kind of intervention in schools. Thank God.

It can be hard to control kids who are abusing drugs, but it’s a lot easier than trying to control adults in the same situation. Also, if you can stop kids from taking them there’s far less chance they’ll end up addicted to drugs as they get older.

Although there are always underlying reasons for addiction - and these are addressed in a good drug rehab program - a lot of those situations don’t have to be serious. Your kid doesn’t have to be totally messed up to get involved in drugs. They might just have a little trouble about wanting to look cool or go along with what other kids are doing. The problem is that the drugs themselves are so dangerous that the kids get easily hooked on the drugs and then the addiction has a whole life of its own. Taking drugs is no longer dependent on what others are doing.

Educating kids about the dangers of drugs helps them resist those temptations - kids are 50% less likely to get involved in drugs if they’ve been educated on the subject by their parents - and getting kids into a good drug rehab program early in the game if they do have a problem should successfully address what they’re running into and how they can handle it in the future.

Parents all over the U.S. have lost their kids to drugs. Thousands have died, and many thousands more are living in a different world - one that doesn’t include parents. Quite a disappointment when you’ve had a child and raised them. Not what you had imagined as they grow up and move into adulthood.

Get your kids the help they need through a drug rehab program. Do whatever you have to. If you have any doubts about whether or not it’s the right thing to do, just consider the alternatives - death, estrangement, a ruined life, or drug rehab? 

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Last week we read about undercover cops sniffing out drug dealers at San Diego State University, this week it’s drug-sniffing dogs on patrol just a few miles north at Fallbrook High School, in Fallbrook, CA.  It looks like the search and destroy mission for drugs on campus is getting serious - and not a moment too soon: The drugs in schools situation has been serious for a long time and more and more kids are in need of drug rehab.

In fact, there are even Juvenile Drug Courts to deal with kids under 17 who already have drug problems and are already involved in the criminal activity that often accompanies drug addiction and abuse. Juvenile Drug Court will help get younger kids into drug rehab so they have a chance of not being addicts as they move into adulthood.

Sometimes you really just have to take a very hard line. Undercover cops and drug-sniffing dogs may seem extreme - but drug abuse in schools isn’t something to be taken lightly. Most parents don’t realize how serious the situation is: Kids have usually been taking drugs anywhere from six months to two years before their parents even find out about it. The parents find out after the kid should already be in drug rehab - they’re not just experimenting.

How did this happen? I’ll tell you one thing, it isn’t because a bunch of heroin or speed dealers suddenly swooped like a swarm of locusts onto campuses. No, the culprit is Big Pharma. Millions of advertising dollars later, we finally have a culture that considers drugs the solution to life’s problems. Medicine cabinets full of speed, opiates and  benzos are creating a society desperately in need of drug rehab.

The drug companies make the big bucks, society goes to hell. Last night my son was telling me about Iggy Pop - who basically invented punk rock. He was a pretty wild guy, but he didn’t take drugs and didn’t drink. His viewpoint - manufacturers of alcohol and drugs are trying to get us addicted. He, for one, vowed not to let them control him, and he spread the word. I find it interesting that Iggy Pop’s perception is more keen that that of many doctors, scientists and world leaders. 

Everyone has problems. Are drugs really how you want to solve them? In the end, they don’t change anything. Life doesn’t change, you just see it differently. The solution is to get into a drug rehab program, then get your life back under your control. 

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It is well known that people using opioid and opiate painkillers - heroin, morphine, methadone, OxyContin, hydrocodone, and so on - need more and more to create the desired effect.  People can wind up with some pretty serious addictions and dependencies that require drug detox and drug rehab to get out of.

Until recently, it was assumed this was due to the fact that the body builds a tolerance to the drug.  While experts don’t disagree with the tolerance factor, they also believe that a significant amount of the pain experienced by people taking opioids is actually caused by the opioids.

This was recently discussed by Dr. Steve Gelfand, a board-certified rheumatologist with more than 30 years of experience and author of numerous articles, on Larry G’s Prescription Addiction Radio show. Dr. Gelfand said this conclusion is the result of some 21 medical studies. He’s been writing articles about it for some time, and has contacted the FDA to let them know about the studies. So, far it appears these studies have been ignored - and the opioid painkillers keep on coming.

Just goes to show you that pain relief is not actually the goal of manufacturers like Purdue Pharma - although that company’s intentions have been obvious for quite some time - nor does it appear to be the goal of the FDA.

Dr. Gelfand generally recommends smaller doses of painkillers, or non-opioid varieties. If you know someone who’s on OxyContin or other painkillers, it’s a good idea to look into this subject a little rather than exposing them to the resultant addiction and dependency and the possibility of needing a drug rehab program.

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We received a blog comment today from a girl whose brother is addicted to airduster. She said he used to use it on the weekends, but now uses it virtually all the time. She said she feels guilty because she was the one who bought it for him, before she knew what it could do. I don’t know if drug rehab would help him but, she should check it out.

Another point here: really, you made a mistake. You’re not the only one who’s ever done something like that. There are people all over the world who don’t understand the real effects of drugs and wind up giving them to someone who is harmed by them. I’ve done the same thing. Not with any bad intention. In fact, my intentions were quite good. But I didn’t understand what it could do either. I hope those people also got into drug rehab and are doing fine now - as I am.

While it’s true that we all have a responsibility to others, each person is ultimately responsible for their own decisions. Everyone is given the opportunity to say yes or no in just about every situation. While it’s true you made the wrong decision, so did your brother. And he continues to make that decision every day. Do your best to help him out: you might consider intervention if he’s not up to making the right decision for himself at this time. A good drug rehab program can help him get free of his addiction. 

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If anyone is considering going onto a methadone maintenance program as a solution to heroin addiction, you should have a look at this news article that describes one person’s experience trying to get off methadone. Getting off methadone cold turkey is anguish - I can tell you that from personal experience, I’ve gotten off both heroin and methadone. Methadone was worse. Your best bet is probably a good medical drug detox program to help through the withdrawal, and then drug rehab after that to get down to the bottom of the addiction problem and continue the rehabilitation of your body.

Sometimes getting off drugs, especially opiates, can be pretty hard on you emotionally.  Taking opiates by-passes the body’s natural endorphin production - the natural production process slows down because the drugs are supplying what’s needed.  When you stop taking the drugs, it can take a while for the body’s endorphin production to fully kick back in and get up to snuff.  As endorphins are natural mood elevators and painkillers, you can feel a little miserable for a while.

If you get into a longer-term residental drug rehab program - we’re talking about months, not weeks - and you’re getting the nutrition, exercise, and so on, that you need to get healthy, things should kick in just fine and, by the time you leave drug rehab, you’ll feel pretty good. Probably better than you have in a long time, actually.

However, some people get discouraged when things don’t change quickly enough. This is one of the reasons people think drug rehab doesn’t work. They expect things to change but don’t necessarily do all the things necessary for that change to occur, and they don’t do them long enough. So, they wind up back on the drug. Or on methadone replacement therapy.

If you or someone you care about is trying to get off opiates, bear the above in mind. Find a good long-term residential drug rehab program that understands all the elements that makes recovery possible and has them built into the program. And if you’re having a really hard time with withdrawal, consider doing a medical drug detox prior to the  drug rehab program. It doesn’t take long and you can get through withdrawal safely and with a minimum of discomfort. Then you’re properly set up to get through the longer process of full rehabilitation and recovery.

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Another methadone incident - a man charged with involuntary manslaughter after his 2-year-old son died after drinking methadone. The man left his kids alone in the bathroom with an open bottle of methadone. The story doesn’t say why the guy had the methadone, but if he was an addict - rather than someone who had methadone in the house temporarily as a pain reliever - let’s hope he now tries to get into drug rehab.

We gets lots of comments on our blogs about methadone. Many are from parents whose children died from it one way or another, and others are from former heroin addicts who have traded their addiction to heroin for an addiction to methadone. They have been told that their bodies don’t produce enough endorphins and that they therefore can’t really live any kind of normal life without opiates. That’s also the reason they’ve been told drug rehab didn’t work for them.

I’ve asked methadone users for specific information on the testing they had done to prove that their bodies were incapable of producing endorphins, but I’ve never been given any evidence that testing like that has even been done. It appears to be an assumption.

In any case, we now have another tragic incident of methadone-related death. A drug rehab program is still a safer solution.

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