metro

Tragic Reality from page 8

said.
What once was considered an "inner-city"
problem is now prevalent in upscale Oakland
County suburbs. West Bloomfield Police
Chief Michael Patton cited 11
reported incidents involv-
ing heroin that occurred
between
April and
Art *
October of 2014; four of
which resulted in death.
Other suburbs in
Michigan and across the
country report similar
Michael
information.
Patton
There also has been a
rise in prescription drug
abuse, especially opiate-based painkillers
such as oxycodone, which can serve as a
"gateway" to heroin.
According to statistics from the U.S.
Department of Justice, the high level of
heroin use and trafficking is caused, in part,
by users substituting heroin for prescription
opioids such as oxycodone. Heroin is more
readily available and less costly than many
prescription drugs.
Those who become addicted to prescrip-
tion pain pills often move to heroin when
they can no longer get legal prescriptions
for the pills, and the pills available through
illegal channels become too expensive. While
one tablet of oxycodone can sell for as much
as $80 on the street, a dose of heroin can be
obtained for about $10.
According to Sheriff Michael Bouchard of
Oakland County, heroin has not only become
more affordable, it has become more potent,
which is another reason for the increases in
drug-related deaths and other medical crises.
"Every shift I work, there's someone in the
ER with some kind of addiction issue Feld
said.

Buckner is determined to increase awareness
about the dangers of binge drinking, includ-
ing combining prescription drugs such as
Adderall with alcohol. She has done some
television and radio reports and is finalizing
plans for a foundation in Josh's memory to
help prevent other families from experienc-
ing similar tragedy.
"I can't let his death be in vain," she said.
"I need to have his legacy be one that tries
to do something positive with an awful situ-
ation:'
Buckner recently had a "productive pow-
wow" with several administrators at the
University of Michigan, including the dean of
students, the head of Greek life (fraternities
and sororities), professors and health edu-
cators. The group will continue to develop
strategies for combatting the risks of binge
drinking and illegal drug use on campus.
"I want the students to be part of it:' said
Buckner, "to finally say 'enough is enough:
It's not about abstinence; it's about responsi-
bility and making better choices:'
Buckner has also been in touch with U-M
Hillel Executive Director Tilly Shames, who
is committed to support Buckner's efforts to

10 January 15 • 2015

Julie Buckner speaks about Josh and
the dangers of drugs and alcohol in the
West Bloomfield High School gym. Josh
played three sports at WBHS.

generate positive messaging about respon-
sible alcohol use throughout the campus.
Shames and her staff were also involved in
reaching out to Josh's former classmates to
help them handle the emotions brought on
by his sudden and tragic death.
"Our conversations allowed students to
share their memories and their love for
Josh, and begin to talk about coping with
his absence in their lives:' said Shames, add-
ing that Hillel provides programming and
pastoral support for alcohol-abuse and other
health-related issues.
Professionals agree that honest commu-
nication and parental involvement when
kids are younger can go a long way toward
preventing drug abuse when they become
teenagers and young adults.
"Addiction is a family disease, and it's
progressive said Lisa
Kaplan, education pro-
gram director for
Maplegrove Center (an
addiction treatment facili-
ty affiliated with Henry
Ford West Bloomfield
Hospital). "Early interven-
Lisa Kaplan
tion is the key. Young peo-
ple need to know they will
never become addicted if they don't start
using:'
West Bloomfield psychotherapist Talia Ziv
agrees that parents need to communicate
with their children clearly about their values
and beliefs regarding drugs and alcohol and
to model the behavior they expect.
"Parents give double messages about pot:'
she said. "It becomes like a norm, and the
kids grow up thinking it's
a norm. Modeling and
talking and enhancing
family relationships could
be an antidote:'
A 2013 survey conduct-
ed by Oakland County
showed that 40 percent of
Talia Ziv
teens who illegally used

prescription drugs obtained them from a
friend, and that those who said their friends
abused prescription medications were 22
times more likely to say they had also mis-
used them. Ziv believes it is important to
teach children how to handle stress and anxi-
ety in ways that do not involve reaching for a
pill or a drink.
"Heroin addiction is growing because
prescription drug use is growing; she said.
"People don't know how to manage their dif-
ficulties — they go for the quick fix. Instead
of dealing with what's going on, take a pill."
One way to prevent teens from "borrow-
ing" medication that does not belong to
them is by keeping prescription drugs in
a secure place and turning in unused pills
to Operation Medicine Cabinet, a program
sponsored by Oakland County.
Professionals also agree that teens or
young adults should not be afraid to ask for
help when someone they know is at risk
Many drug-related tragedies occur because
teens fear they will be penalized by calling
for help when a friend has overdosed on
drugs or alcohol.
"If a teen calls the police for a friend,
the caller won't get in trouble' Patton said.
"We're trying to save people's lives:'
Ziv believes more education and parental
supervision is critical to prevent teens and
young adults from developing dangerous
habits.
"Kids are not stupid, but they act stupid,"
she said. "Their brains are not completely
developed until age 25 or 26. The younger
they start using, the stronger the likelihood
they will develop addictions in adulthood.
Parents need to think about what their val-
ues are and how to enhance those:'
Ziv urges parents to exercise their author-
ity, to insist on knowing where their teens
are going and whom they will be with, and
to make sure they are not attending unsuper-
vised parties and sleepovers.
"Children don't know what's good for
them," she said. "They are more susceptible;
their defenses are down when they are intox-
icated. They learn about the high from other
kids, and they want the same thing:'
At Josh's funeral service, his brother deliv-
ered a eulogy that ended with an appeal to
the "20-somethings" in the room.
"This was an accident, but if it can happen
to him, it can happen to any of us:' Andrew
said. "I want you to think about the hurt in
your heart; the hole that you feel right now
... Use the pain that you feel today and let it
motivate your decisions going forward. Don't
do to your family what Josh inadvertently
did to all of us here today:'

❑

Julie Buckner will speak at 7 p.m. Wednesday,

Feb. 11, at West Bloomfield High School. The

event is open to the public and sponsored

by the Greater West Bloomfield Community

Andrew and Josh Levine

Resources For Help

Friendship House (a program of
Friendship Circle of Michigan)
6894 W. Maple Road
West Bloomfield, MI 48322
Rabbi Yarden Blumstein
Rabbiyarden@friendshipcircle.org
(248) 788-8888

Alliance of Coalitions for Healthy
Communities (a group of local coali-
tions that provide education, infor-
mation and resources for the preven-
tion of substance abuse)
www.achconline.com
(248) 515-9628

Campus Hillel organizations provide
resources and referrals for drug and
alcohol-related issues:

University of Michigan Hillel
(734) 769-0500
www.michiganhillel.org

Michigan State University Hillel
(517) 332-1916
www.msuhillel.org

Hillel Detroit
(313) 577-3459
www.hillel-detroit.org

Visit www.hillel.org for a complete
list of campus Hillel locations

Operation Medicine Cabinet ("no
questions asked" disposal of unused
prescription drugs at multiple loca-
tions)
Oakland County Sheriff's Office
www.oakgov.com/sheriff/Pages/
community_services/operation_
medicine_cabinet.aspx
(248) 858-8000

Coalition. She also is starting the Josh E. Levine

Foundation to focus more awareness about the

dangers of stimulants with alcohol and to curb

binge drinking. For more information, contact

Buckner at jelfoundation@gmaiLcom.

Common Ground
24-hour crisis hotline: (800) 231-1127

