By: Timothy Kays
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
One does not need to watch the 6:30 news to find out that we are experiencing tough times. Unemployment numbers are dressed up to look impressive, but with the amount of capable people not participating in the workforce at an all-time high since World War II, the spin on shrinking unemployment still comes off as the proverbial pig wearing lipstick. There’s just no jobs to be found…nobody is hiring, right? Wrong! Not only is that not the case in Fulton County, it is nearly a 180-degree opposite. There are openings at several levels all over that are not being filled.
How can this be the case in a day and age where jobs are supposedly in demand and scarce? The Fulton County Drug Summit at Founders Hall on December 2 had the answer, and it was an answer that nobody was prepared to hear. According to the Honorable Jeffrey L. Robinson, the presiding Judge over the Fulton County Western District Court, employers have had plenty of applications coming in for their vacant positions. People are not being hired into those positions, simply because they cannot pass the drug screen.
Stop for a second, let that sink in, and join the ranks of the stunned. The desire for addictive chemicals is in the process of trumping the desire for good paying jobs in Fulton County.
What has happened to our society that has allowed for such a thing? This was the big subject of this meeting, coordinated by Fulton County Prosecuting Attorney, Mr. Scott Haselman. With law enforcement doing what they can to curtail the supply of illicit drugs coming into the county, he said that it is up to the citizens to pitch in and do the same on the demand side. The goal of the summit was two-pronged in nature, he told the audience made up of community leaders, business leaders, public school staff members, emergency services personnel, and concerned citizens. “One is to increase community awareness of the nature and extent of the problem,” he said. “Two is to give you, your organizations, and the community, some idea of what you can do to help address the issue in your sphere of influence.”
Mr. Haselman said that a common misconception it that the drug problem does not exist outside of the big cities, or that it is in, “…the other part of the county; not mine.” He said that the problem is actually a societal issue, requiring a full societal involvement to address. People have asked him where these drugs can be found, and he said that his best reply is where CAN’T they be found. He showed a series of images that reflected how widespread the problem is. Cocaine from Fayette. Crack cocaine, marijuana and heroin from Wauseon. A portable one-pot meth lab in a backpack from Archbold. Heroin from Delta. Heroin from Lyons. A large and sophisticated marijuana growing operation in a house in Metamora. You name it, and you’ll find it everywhere…including in the schools. Mr. Haselman then presented a series of facts and figures that were disconcerting at best, and outright alarming at the worst.
A survey taken by the Ohio Substance Abuse Monitoring Network revealed startling information about drug availability in the area. In a sampling of active and recovering drug users in the 17 counties surrounding Toledo, the question was to rate the ease of availability of drugs on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the easiest. The survey, which included Fulton County, came back with numbers that are gut wrenching…
Flake Cocaine – 8 to 10
Crack – 10
Heroin – 10
Prescription Opioids – 10
Sedative Hypnotics (Barbiturates) – 10
Marijuana – 10
Methamphetamine – 1 to 10 with higher numbers in rural areas
Ecstasy – 7 to 10
The numbers presented to the now stone silent audience by Mr. Haselman did not have a silver lining to their dark cloud.
Four to five percent of all Fulton County youth, ages 12 to 18, reported that someone had offered or sold them illegal drugs on school property in the last 12 months. The average age for onset of alcohol consumption in Fulton County is between 12.8 and 13.1 years of age. 58 percent of Fulton County high school students have consumed alcohol, with 22 percent having done so in the last 30 days. 69 percent of Fulton County youth who have consumed alcohol in the last 30 days, did so in binge drinking. That number increased to 81 percent for the age 17 and over group.
In Fulton County, 10 percent of high school kids have smoked pot in the last 30 days. Of the polled Fulton County youth, 7 percent have admitted to using inhalants, and 5 percent have admitted the use of synthetics such as K2, Spice and Bath Salts. 3 percent have abused over-the-counter medications, and 2 percent have abused cough syrup…the same amount that have also used cocaine and ecstasy, respectively.
A huge problem is the misuse of prescription drugs, especially opiates. These drugs are also amongst the most frequently misunderstood. In a survey of Fulton County children from under the age of 13 to 17, each age group saw smoking a pack of cigarettes as more dangerous than the misuse of prescription drugs. This is a horribly erroneous point of view, as prescription opiates are the gateway for a cheaper, quicker, but more lethal option…heroin.
The leading cause of accidental death in the State of Ohio is not automobile accidents, it is drug overdoses, and has been since 2007. Studies have shown though, that if a parent or a respected adult speaks regularly with a child about the dangers of illicit drugs, that child is 50 percent less likely to try drugs. It is there that a major chink in the armor is exposed though as 48 percent of Fulton County youth report that their parents had not spoken to them about the dangers of drugs in at least a year. 19 percent said that it had been more than a year since their parents had talked about drugs with them. Hold on to your hats…29 percent said that their parents have never discussed the issue with them. Never. That’s almost a third of Fulton County youth being sent into a world rife with jackals, armed with no knowledge, no imparted wisdom for defense, and no clue whatsoever as to what may be awaiting them.
Dr. Teymour Sepahbodi of Recovery Services of Northwest Ohio came to the podium to speak of the effects of drugs on the brain, including the interaction between neurotransmitters and the uptake mechanisms of the neurons that are damaged in the addiction process.
A video was shown of Brent Hardy, a recovering drug addict, after which the Program Director of the Fulton County Health Department HC3 Program, Beth Thomas, came to the podium to address the needs for changes in the current downward trend, and offering insights as to how to address and engage in prevention strategies with others. Although the drug issue seems to go from negative factoid to negative factoid, she suggested addressing the issue from a position of positive high ground, thereby reframing the conversation.
Deacon Dzierzawski of Epiphany Community Services spoke on the integration of social systems, and how one system can influence another. Information is just a start, but the understanding process in the war on drugs will be a slow one, composed of lots of little learning opportunities. Knowledge is gained through an understanding of the chemical, it’s effect, it’s cost, it’s mode of employment, and more.
Finally, Teresa Eicher, the Clinical Director of Recovery Services of Northwest Ohio, came to the podium to discuss treatment options made available through the affiliated and non-affiliated agencies of the Four County Board of Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMhs).
There is real hope and real help available for those struggling with dependency issues in Fulton County. There is a society awaiting with gainful, good paying employment, all that is needed is a clean drug screen, and a desire to move forward.
A call to ADAMhs at 419-267-3355 could be the call that not only changes a life, but also saves a life.
Timothy Kays can be reached at
tim@thevillagereporter.com