Tag Archives: kids

Understanding the Deadly Dangers of Fentanyl Use

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Fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid, has emerged as a significant public health concern due to its alarming prevalence and deadly consequences. While originally developed for medical use as a pain reliever, illicit fentanyl use has skyrocketed in recent years, leading to a surge in overdose deaths and devastating consequences for individuals and communities alike. Understanding the dangers of fentanyl use is crucial in addressing this urgent public health crisis.

Potency

Fentanyl is estimated to be 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine and significantly more potent than heroin. Even a tiny amount of fentanyl can cause severe respiratory depression, leading to overdose and death. Due to its potency, fentanyl is often mixed with other drugs such as heroin, cocaine, or counterfeit prescription pills without the user’s knowledge, increasing the risk of accidental overdose.

Risk

The misuse of fentanyl and its analogs has led to a sharp increase in overdose deaths across the globe. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), synthetic opioids, primarily fentanyl, were involved in nearly 75% of all opioid-related overdose deaths in the United States in 2019. This alarming trend highlights the urgent need for comprehensive strategies to address the opioid epidemic and prevent further loss of life.

Hidden in Street Drugs

One of the most significant dangers of fentanyl use is its clandestine presence in street drugs. Illicitly manufactured fentanyl is often mixed with other substances, such as heroin or cocaine, to increase potency or extend the drug’s supply. However, without proper dosage control or awareness of fentanyl’s presence, individuals who use these drugs are at high risk of unintentional overdose and death.

Increased Risk of Addiction:

The addictive nature of opioids, including fentanyl, poses a significant risk to individuals who use these substances recreationally or as prescribed. Continued use of fentanyl can lead to physical dependence, tolerance, and addiction, making it increasingly difficult for individuals to stop using the drug without professional help. Moreover, the withdrawal symptoms associated with fentanyl cessation can be severe and contribute to relapse.

Addressing the dangers of fentanyl use requires a multifaceted approach that includes prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and enforcement efforts. Public health initiatives aimed at raising awareness about the risks of fentanyl use, providing naloxone training and distribution, and expanding access to evidence-based treatment options are essential components of an effective response.

Recognizing the dangers of fentanyl use and implementing comprehensive strategies to address the opioid epidemic are critical steps in saving lives and mitigating the impact of this deadly crisis.

Sources:

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Drug Overdose Deaths.” 2021.

2. National Institute on Drug Abuse. “Fentanyl DrugFacts.” 2020.

3. Drug Enforcement Administration. “Fentanyl.” 2022.

4. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. “Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.” 2021.

CJ Crawford

DrugFree Greenville Public Education Committee

I Didn’t Mean to Abuse My Child

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Lorene was a twenty-seven year old widow and mother of two, her children are nine and three. Their world is shattered with the sudden and untimely death of her husband and the children, one who will not have any memories of him now wander into a season of unintended consequences…

The CDC defines child abuse and neglect as “any act or series of acts of commission or omission by a parent or other caregiver that results in harm, potential for harm, or threat of harm to a child.”

Lorene like so many others can be side swiped by life and left feeling like their trying to find a firm footing while walking and a water bed, there is no firm place to stand and every action causes an unknown and sometimes unwanted reaction. They long for just a modicum of what they once knew as normal. But those moments can be far apart and often too short.

The work of two parents had become doubled upon one leading to long days and lonely nights. She worked so hard to fill the many voids left in her  heart, mind, and life. Her families needs called for courage, and she answered! Her personal needs called also, this was a more difficult call, one that meant choices that would affect both hers and her children’s lives. The medication she entrusted to keep her on an emotional even-keel would be joined by something to help her both begin and end her day. Her once social drinking became a greater and great necessity often conflicting with her medications. Her social life would become a long list of night spots with an even longer list of men who past through their lives. 

At its peak, this led to her placing the youngest in the care of family members for extended periods of time while her oldest was called upon to be a somewhat “Faux” adult, be included in conversations and circumstances that were far beyond him. The neglect of a child isn’t always a willful intended choice, more often, it is a misguided unintentional pursuit of needs, wants, or addictions. Lorene’s neglect of her children began slowly but grew steadily in the shadow of her better judgment. When family members would address it with her she was left with only two choices repent and change her ways, or justify her choices which usually lead to arguments and discord.

Becoming a parent doesn’t mean we lose ourselves and become immune to the struggles of life and effects they may cause. However, we must always remember that our responsibility is to protect, provide, and guide for our children, we are forming a future adult and the early years are important. Trust me, I know first hand because I’m Lorene’s son. I truly love my Mom, and as a Father I can appreciate the challenges she faced. Her neglect wasn’t intentional, but they were choices that left life-long imprints on me. Parents, please make good choices.

Rev. Jimmy Vaughn

Authentic Life Fellowship

DrugFree Greenville Public Education Committee

Child Abuse Awareness

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Child physical and sexual abuse is alarmingly prevalent in all communities. In Hunt County, approximately every 15 hours there is a confirmed case of child abuse.  These crimes have a lifelong effect on children and what type of adults they will become.  Many of us would like to believe that we would be able to recognize if abuse was happening to our own children.  Even more of us believe that we would know who the perpetrator is.  Unfortunately, upwards of 90% of all perpetrators is someone the child and the family knows, loves, and trusts; less than 1% of perpetrators are strangers.

            National research and statistics show that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be sexually abused before they turn 18 years of age. 1 in 10 children will tell.  The statistics in Hunt County line up with those nationwide numbers as well.  It is in our backyard!  Perpetrators will groom the child and those around them to ensure the child will not tell and the perpetrator is not suspected.  Grooming is typically done in a very subtle way by using words, gifts, and coercion, but could also be direct by using threats to the child.

            This subject is difficult to discuss or believe that it exists to the level that it does.  It is important for every adult to know the signs and if you suspect something, report it.  Too many people do not want to make a report because they are afraid to get involved.  It is every adults mandated duty, by law, to report to law enforcement or CPS any suspicion they may have about physical or sexual abuse relating to a child.  You may be the person that saves that child’s life, childhood, etc.  You do not have to have evidence, just a reasonable suspicion to make a report without malice.

 Signs of child physical or sexual abuse may include:  unexplained injuries, changes in behavior, returning to earlier behaviors (such as thumb sucking or bed wetting), fear of going home, changes in eating or sleeping habits, changes in school performance and attendance, lack of personal care or hygiene, risk-taking behaviors, and inappropriate sexual behaviors.  If a child tells you something has happened to them, please follow these steps:  listen to and tell them you believe them, remain calm, do NOT ask an abundance of questions, do NOT panic, and do NOT press the child to talk; contact law enforcement and call the Texas Child Abuse Hotline at 800-252-5400 as soon as possible.

            Children are counting on you to stand up for them and report your suspicions or any specific information a child tells you about child abuse.  For more information you can contact Amy Ramsey at 903-454-9999.

Amy Ramsey/Director of Community Outreach & Education

Hunt County Children’s Advocacy Center/Crisis Center of Northeast Texas

DrugFree Greenville Public Education Committee

Gun Safety in the Home

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The responsibility for gun safety in the home begins and ends with the adults in the residence. It is imperative that we not only secure our weapons; but that we teach gun safety to our children from a very early age. We do this because we love them and want them to be safe, right?

               There are laws in most states that impose penalties on adults who make firearms accessible to children through negligence, and we will look at Texas statutes in depth in another article. Let’s focus on safety measures here. And I am specifically addressing parents who have children and teens in your home, car, boat, camper, (need I go on?) or those of you that have the potential to have them come to visit.

               First, never leave a gun unattended. Whether loaded or unloaded, never set a gun down and walk away from it. It is too tempting for children, who want to touch everything they see. Always unload your firearm when not in use and store the firearm and the ammunition in separate locations. Lock the firearms in a gun safe, lockbox, cabinet, or with a cable lock. You can often obtain free cable locks from your local police department. Lock the ammunition up as well and keep the keys to the firearms and the ammunition storage in separate locations.

               I have heard people argue many times that they don’t want to search for the keys, have an unloaded weapon, open a safe, etc. while someone is breaking into their home. I completely understand the need to balance protecting your family from intruders while protecting your family from your weapons. There are many varieties of gun lockers and safes that have touch panels for biometric access. They even work when the power is out. If this is a concern for you, consider getting one of these types of gun safes. They can also be installed in vehicles, boats, and so on.

               Children are often curious and impulsive. How many times have you told them not to do something and they do it anyway? That’s their job—to drive us nuts. So even when we give them warnings, kids often want to explore a gun if they find it. It is our duty to protect them!  Talk with children about what to do if they see a gun. Make sure they know not to touch it, to leave the area right away, and tell you or another responsible adult. Kids see guns every day on TV and in video games and they don’t always understand the difference between reality and fantasy. Give them specific steps to memorize and follow: Don’t touch! Leave! Tell!

               If you allow your child or teen to use a firearm for recreation or hunting with you, it is very important that you make sure they understand that it is never OK to handle a gun without you or another responsible adult there. They should always assume a firearm is loaded and never point a gun at someone. Teach them the proper way to unload a firearm and how to check that it is clear. Consider attending a hunter’s education or gun safety class with your child. Greenville PD offers a hunters education class every summer for youth. And finally, always set a good example with your own safe gun handling practices.

CJ Crawford

DrugFree Greenville Board Member

DrugFree Greenville Public Education Committee

Explaining “Self-Medication” to Kids

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Self-medication is when someone tries to make themselves feel better by using things like alcohol or illegal drugs. You know how when you have a headache, you might take medicine to feel better? Well, sometimes people use things like alcohol or drugs to try to feel better emotionally, not just physically. But the problem is, it doesn’t really work the same way.

Imagine you’re feeling sad or upset because of something happening in your life, like problems at school or with friends. Instead of talking to someone or finding healthy ways to cope, some people might choose to drink alcohol or use drugs to forget about their feelings or feel happier. They think it will help them feel better, at least for a little while.

But the thing is, using alcohol or drugs to cope with feelings isn’t a good idea. It might make you feel better for a short time, but it can make things worse in the long run. In the first place, it’s not a real fix.  Just like putting a band-aid on a broken arm won’t really help, using alcohol or drugs to numb your feelings won’t fix what’s really bothering you. It might seem like it helps at first, but those feelings will still be there when the effects wear off.

More importantly, it can be dangerous! Alcohol and drugs can make you feel dizzy, sick, or even make you pass out. They can also mess with your brain and body, especially if you’re still growing and developing. Using them when you’re not supposed to or in large amounts can be really risky and lead to even more problems. It can affect your relationship with your family and friends, your schoolwork, and even your health. Plus, if you rely on alcohol or drugs to cope, it can be hard to stop using them later.

Instead of turning to alcohol or drugs, it’s important to find healthy ways to deal with your feelings. Talking to someone you trust, like a parent, teacher, or counselor, can really help. You can also try things like exercise, drawing, writing, or listening to music to help you feel better.

Remember, it’s okay to feel sad, stressed, or angry sometimes. Everyone goes through tough times. But using alcohol or drugs to try to escape those feelings isn’t the answer. It’s important to find healthy ways to cope and get the support you need when you’re feeling down. You’re not alone, and there are people who care about you and want to help.

CJ Crawford – DrugFree Greenville Board Member

DrugFree Greenville Public Education Committee

3rd Annual Drug Free Greenville Red Ribbon Car Show

Please join us for the 3rd Annual Drug Free Greenville car show at Greenville High School celebrating Red Ribbon month. There will be beautiful cars of all description, food vendors, music, and fun. The Greenville High School solar team will have their award winning car on display. Also, there will be a Halloween costume contest for kids 12 and under with some fun prizes and candy. The car show is free to the public.

Active partnerships are needed to help DrugFree Greenville continue to provide education and activities that teach the community the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse. Please consider sponsoring this event, and others. All our community sponsors are recognized on social media.

Sponsorship form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScIuJ3Kru5eyFeg_BN-XHYvW_2O6EHGiYfrJss5UvdVKXnDiw/viewform?usp=sf_link

Vendor Information Document: https://www.drugfreegreenville.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Vendor-Information-Form.docx

Vendors registration form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfhjur1N-sQ-CP_-1ezcBTJ8JpfkP9uXVmJjHeAD2B2T8Pwgg/viewform?usp=sf_link

Vehicle Participant registration form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdoyw_9N826unhd35d0an1WhqObN2tXpnRZNypXK8tWGXk9KA/viewform?usp=sf_link

Flip Phone Fad Flip

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flip phone mobile

Cell phones started out as a big bag with a phone receiver at the cradled-on top. It had a strap where you could carry it and was roughly the size of a large purse. They were bulky, awkward, and had terrible, patchy, reception that sounded very static-y.  The evolution of phones later brought us flip phones, which still weren’t that great because they came before the internet!  What?!  Remember that time in life when there was NO INTERNET!!  It seems like a lifetime away . . . ahem, for those of us older folks, that is.  But we must consider that they are now in their early 30’s who have lived their whole lives with smart phones. 

Once smart phones hit the scene, no one wanted a flip phone anymore.  They were looked down upon and considered outdated and old fashioned.  So, life progressed as the smart phones did.  The iPhone numbers keep getting higher and now you can have the iPhone 14 Pro Max, the ultimate in connectivity via phone, text, Twitter, Facebook, Messenger, Snapchat and the list goes on. As the phones and internet progressed, so did our obsession with them.  To the point that I am concerned that the current generation of teens will not know how to function in society.  They have trouble having a normal relaxed conversation with an adult.  They don’t know how to look people in the eye when speaking to them. They mumble. They hide in their rooms or behind their screens at family gatherings instead of interacting with others sitting all around them. In the future will people just revert into being in their homes all the time because it is less scary?  Online school didn’t help during COVID-19.  During this time many young adults discovered that they could work from home as well, and never have to darken the door of their office or meet their teammates in person.  And this was just fine with them.

That is why I was shocked but very proud when my daughter somewhere around the age of 17 decided to get rid of her iPhone and get a flip phone.  What?! A kid willing giving up a smart device and initiating it on their own.  Amazing!!! I was so stunned, I had to know why.  When I asked her, this is what she said. . .

While working at her job she realized that every young person when not directly engaged in physically having to do something had their face in their phones.  They spoke only what was minimally required to anyone who tried to communicate with them.  There were no deep conversations, no humorous interactions, and not much conversation with them at all.  She decided if she didn’t have access to the internet and all of it’s lures (texting, snap chatting, internet surfing, YouTube videos, and a plethora of other online attractions), then she wouldn’t be able to look at it all the time while she was in public.  She could only look at those things at night before bed which would greatly limit her time online.

When she pulled her flip phone out to make a call and used her voice to have a conversation with someone, all her peers were intrigued.  Some other kids asked, “What is that?!”.  Others wanted to hold it to look at it.  Some wanted their picture with it.  So, the flip phone fad that had once been the rage, then almost became obsolete, suddenly was trendy.  The kids asked questions about it and couldn’t believe that it didn’t connect to the internet.

The part that made me so proud of my daughter was the fact that she began talking to a lady at work who is older than me.  She loved her and this sweet lady gave good advice and shared wisdom with her.  She also talked to several other older employees and heard about their families and life experiences.  What was amazing was my daughter was learning about life.  She seemed more confident.  She gained knowledge about gardening, family relationships, marriage, and many other life skills that she would have never known about on her own or found out about on the internet. Her kindness and empathy increased. She learned the joy of having a great conversation with a stranger.  She realized all that she had been missing out with her face only focused on a screen.  And she actually survived without having her phone in her face all the time.

I think all of this led her to be open to going to deliver some brownies to an elderly gentleman in town who lived alone and was missing his wife who was now in a nursing home. That initial conversation led to a friendship between the two – an 80-ish year-old gentleman and a young lady in her late teens.  She would take him to the grocery store, they went on picnics at Graham Park, he got to talk about his wife and their life together, and he tried to teach her to fly a kite.  What a beautiful friendship – one gaining human interaction and conversation, that he so desperately craved, and the other learning life skills and gaining experience in relationships. A win-win situation. So, I would encourage us all to put our phones down. You don’t have to go so far as reverting back to a flip phone, but you should learn how to live without your phone for periods of time each day so that you can live life, enjoy the moment, and interact with people around you.  Phones can be just as addictive as a drug, and many young people struggle with this issue, as well as adults. Try putting your face up and watching the sunset, instead of taking a picture of it.  Savor that moment.  Stare at the horizon until the last bit of the sun is gone. Every meal, every event, every conversation does not need to be documented.  Instead of recording it, just enjoy it happening.  And who knows, you might start a trend where people interact with each other in person again.

Teach Kids to Love Learning

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Often expressed is the concern that young people are not interested in learning because they are overly occupied on their cell phones and not reading books. However, young people today have never known life without a cell phone device. They use it for everything from scheduling to homework. Kids can learn to love learning while using their smartphones by taking advantage of its capabilities. Here are five suggestions.

Start young, or as soon as possible. Children develop perspectives and adopt habits most easily from a young age. Learning is simply acquiring knowledge. So, looking up story times for the library or reading about a new business in town are learning activities. Although your goal for the child may be more in-depth or broader, simple learning begins with the skills to navigate everyday life. Start leading kids to look for information on their own. Use subjects that the child is interested in to show them how they can find more information. Suggest questions that pique their curiosity such as whether or not dinosaurs had feathers and what makes one car faster than the other. Older kids thinking about careers might want to know how much money different jobs pay. Teenagers who are interested in music might want to know how music is produced professionally.

Set an example. Children imitate what they see. Let them see you learning new things. Looking for a job, setting up a budget, or planning a trip, are all endeavors that requiring learning. Show them what you are learning, why you are learning it, and how you look for information. But keep the sessions appropriately shorter, depending on their age, and do not be disappointed if they seem disinterested. The point is to make them aware of the learning process as a natural part of life and living.

Help kids have good experiences or benefit from learning. For example, if you plan on going out to eat, let the kids research restaurants. Ask them to look up distances, menus, and prices and give their opinion on the best option. If they are asking for a pet, let them to look up the costs of caring for one. Help the kids feel comfortable at places of learning. Within 15 miles of Greenville are 2 colleges and a university which offer events such as outdoor movie nights, festivals, and cultural events at low-cost or free to the public. Use these opportunities to become familiar with what is offered there.

Help identify credible sources. If you are not sure where to start, ask at the local school or public library. Older children who are politically inclined can be helped to find credible sources from different points of view and that prepares them participate in educated discussions. Instead of struggling with your kids to limit their cell phone use, redirect their existing incentive by encouraging them to expand the potential for acquiring information and knowledge that equips them to reach their goals.

Marifrances Casey