The classic line from the movie Network — “We’re as mad as hell, and we’re not going to take this anymore” – may describe how many parents feel about the youth drug problem in Southern Maryland. Two parents’ organizations have formed in the area recently to deal with the problem. The two, Parents of Teens Unite and Parents Affected By Addiction, are holding a public meeting on Thursday, April 24 that they have billed as “Taking Back Our Families.” The meeting will be at 7 p.m. at the Southern Maryland Higher Education Center in California.
The meeting is being touted as one next-step to follow up the St. Mary’s County Drug Summit for Parents held last month at the Hollywood VFD. See Bay Net story on summit: http://www.thebaynet.com/news/index.cfm/fa/viewstory/story_ID/35884
Parents of Teens Unite was started several years ago by several parents living in the Wildewood community in St. Mary’s County who had teenagers affected by drugs. Parents Affected by Addiction (PABA) has been holding rotating meetings in the three Southern Maryland counties and was formed by parents who also have children similarly involved with drugs.
PABA held their most recent meeting last Thursday in La Plata. Pastor John Lewis, founder of Point of Change, a substance abuse program, spoke at the meeting along with Chad Liverman of the Leads Celebrate Recovery Program in Hughesville. Several parents also shared their individual stories.
A member of Parents of Teens Unite, who asked not to be identified so as not to identify her child who had a drug problem, said their members have learned to identify the signs of drug usage. She said teenagers have their own networks so it is important for parents also to have a network so they can learn from each other.
The Wildewood parent noted what has been observed by many professionals involved with the issue: heroin use is on the upswing with the clampdown on prescription drug abuse. Heroin is cheaper and easier to procure and potentially more deadly.
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