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Friday, March 26, 2010 — The North Haven Citizen
Freda Continued from page 7
Mrs. Marcuccio rose to address the assembly. She began by describing her own personal, ongoing struggle in her attempt to deal with her son who sits behind bars today because of his addiction to drugs and the crimes he committed because of it. She said that when her crisis began in Southington, no one would admit there was a problem. Marcuccio had nothing but praise for those who had preceded her at the microphone, and she complimented the people of North Haven for being “proactive” in their approach to substance abuse prevention. She said that since she needed a support system in her town and none existed, she and her husband founded a group called “Parents 4 a Change” and said that the organization has grown by leaps and bounds, even receiving national recognition. It is she who Joanne Hoffman credits with saving her daughter’s life. Marcuccio explained, “I’m not a professional. I speak from personal experience. I’ve lived it. My son is in his early 20s and is still addicted.” She said that North Haven deserves a lot of credit for not ignoring the problem. “Is there heroin here?” she asked, adding, “Yes… and there are many families affected.” She continued, “The main users are between the ages of 18-25 and ‘white’ in the suburban communities of the Northeast, but there is no stereotype of today’s heroin user.” She explained that the first choice of these people was a bad choice, which put them on the path of drug abuse. “Heroin is cheaper and easier to get at $5 a bag,” she said, adding that statistics show that unless a person gets off drugs, he or she “will end up in prison or dead.” “We are losing our children in North Haven,” she said as she explained that death due to drug abuse is the #1 cause of accidental death in Connecticut, even higher than auto accidents, and “It’s usually opiates.” Marcuccio stated that prescription drug abuse by teens is “not a cognitive process,” adding “They just don’t know that this one is
different. Once they open the door, they can’t control it.” When she asked her imprisoned son what he’d change if he could do things over, he responded, “There’s only one thing. I wish I had never tried it the first time.” To demonstrate the power of drugs over her son, the speaker told how her husband had had a tearful conversation with their son, and asked him at the end if he could “see the error of his ways.” The young man’s comment was, “If I could stay here high, I would.” “Opiates are different…unique…unlike any other,” she said. “Opiates are like heaven,” she continued. “They feel close to God…no money, no power can compare,” she said. On the other hand, she said that recovery from heroin is “the most painful detoxification on the planet. It’s like multiplying flu symptoms by a thousand, and no medication will help.” She added that the agony can go on for “days and weeks at a time.” Referring to them as “empowered parents,” Mary Marcuccio recommends that parents educate themselves and help their children to make better choices. “It’s not about good or bad, it’s about this drug that kidnaps the whole person because of one bad choice,” she said. Advising parents to be the disciplinarian, not the child’s friend, she pointed out that parents can be “reactive” or “proactive.” She commended Joanne Hoffman for her recognition of the problem
and for saying to her on the phone, “Tell me what I need to do.” She cautioned the audience to set boundaries and to “Never say, ‘not my kid.’” Under the Q & A portion of the program, parents of young teens were warned to be alert to activities such as “pharm parties” where kids toss a variety of stolen medications into a bowl, providing an unknown assortment of highs. Parents were reminded that it’s okay to embarrass kids when they’re actually doing their job protecting them. They were also advised to look for changes in friends, diet, or general behavior as possible danger signs, and not to hesitate to drug test their kids to insure that no problem exists. “When they claim it’s an invasion of privacy, they’re probably up to something,” said Marcuccio. At the close of the night, Sgt. Fasano urged everyone to keep track of all medications in the home and said that an accurate count should be kept at all times for any drug. Mike Freda announced that the SAPC would sponsor an opportunity on April 24 at the Fire Headquarters for citizens to drop off unwanted prescription drugs. People should cross off all personal identification with a Sharpie pen and drop off the items between the hours of 11 and 2. There will also be a 35minute program featuring Superintendent Sara Querfeld and Mrs. Hoffman on NHTV’s Channel 20 during the day (at 7,11,3,7 and 11).
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What’s most disturbing, he said, is how easy it is to transition to heroin, an inexpensive opiate that is as available to most teens as a pack of cigarettes. Worse, today’s heroin is much stronger than what was around in the ‘60s, according to the speaker. Kids start out with something from the medicine cabinet or from a friend, convinced that they can keep things under control. What originates as occasional use soon becomes a habit, and the attraction of the bargain price of heroin is too good to pass up. Unfortunately, the abuser has no idea of the actual strength of a given dose of heroin. Furthermore, what may be tolerable one day may be an overdose on another for a variety of reasons. McGuiness reminded his audience that withdrawal symptoms keep the cycle going because the euphoric feeling is elusive, and the addict needs more of the drug to regain the feeling of pleasure and to avoid the agony of withdrawal. He stated that the addiction takes hold early and powerfully and results in a permanent imprint on the brain. Originally, because of his experience with his son, he was focused on what to do for the afflicted; now he has become dedicated to prevention. He added that “effective programs work to lessen risk factors and strengthen the protective factors.” The presenter’s closing advice to parents was to demonstrate a good example and not be hypocritical in regard to substance abuse. “Speak to your kids, and listen to them, but don’t lecture,” he said. Starting when children are in middle school, he advised parents to compose “a written family policy on drug abuse.” He also urged his listeners to support Good Samaritan legislation that allows a person who’s directly involved to call 911 to save a life without being arrested. Such a code is permitted at UConn, he said. Before thanking key figures in the local battle against drug abuse, he advocated treatment over incarceration because addiction “is a dis-
ease.” When Sgt. Mark Fasano approached the podium, he asked the audience to think of one word to describe drug abuse. His personal choice was “destruction,” and he described its impact on the community, the family, and society. He indicated that the most common drug of choice in the community among kids aged 12–17 years of age continues to be “alcohol by a wide margin,” but added that marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy, steroids and other drugs are very prevalent as well. The many types of painkillers, which he called “amazing substances when used properly” are also becoming commonly abused by teens. The interesting statistics given by the very knowledgeable police sergeant were eye-opening, and can be reviewed on the tape when broadcast by NHTV. He also went on to discuss the consequences that face a drug abuser and noted that even the economy is severely damaged by a $75 billion annual loss due to absenteeism in the workplace, increased crime, accidents, and the cost of social programs. He advised, “Get the word out, and lower the long term cost,” and work together as a community. Joanne Hoffman was the next speaker, and she began by walking among the crowd showing everyone a framed photo of her younger child saying, “This is my daughter, and she is a drug addict.” She recounted the riveting story that she had told that same morning to the local Rotary Club, a story reported elsewhere in this paper today. As with the family of Jay McGuinness, above, her family went through the agony of living with an addict until her daughter finally agreed to treatment far away from home, never to return. Thanking Mrs. Hoffman for her “fascinating story” and for taking a leadership role within the SAPC, Freda said “Hope is powerful, a beacon of light, yet ironically hope is not a strategy for dealing with substance abuse. If ever there were a ringing endorsement, however, it is what we’ve heard about Mary Marcuccio.” Loud applause followed as
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