Skokie Police Receive 6 Week Training Session on Area’s Heroin Problem

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The United States is currently dealing with the worst outbreak of heroin abuse and addiction it has ever seen. The rise in heroin abuse can be seen and recorded by the amount of emergency room visits that are heroin related. Also included in this statistic is the high rate of heroin related overdose and fatalities. In response to the heroin outbreak in this country local, state and federal governments are working to prepare proper authorities for handling the issue. First responders are becoming more competent with handling heroin-related issues. Skokie police have received a 6 week training session on the area’s heroin problem.

Other ways to combat and deal with heroin overdoses is to have a drug rehab Skokie in place. If the individual is abusing substances, then joining a rehab is a good idea if the individual wants to overcome their addiction. If they choose to join a drug rehabilitation Skokie then they will not have the problem of overdosing on heroin since they will no longer be abusing drugs.

Growing Heroin Problems

The entire country is suffering from growing heroin problems. The rise in prescription drug use during the 1990’s has given way to heroin issues today. Addiction does not discriminate. Anyone is susceptible to addiction if they abuse or misuse drugs. Prescription drugs have been linked to the rise in heroin addiction in the nation because of their popularity. Prescription pain killers are very similar to heroin. These drugs provide a very easy entry for heroin use and abuse. Most addicts enter addiction by suffering from an injury or requiring surgery. Their physician prescribes them prescription pain medication to help them with their discomfort. The patient then uses the drug for an extended period of time or consumes more or higher doses than recommended. The body becomes tolerant to those doses and requires more of the drug to achieve the desired effects. Eventually the script runs out or they cannot afford it anymore. At this time addicts need a substitute and heroin is introduced. Heroin is cheap, easy to get, and is incredibly powerful. Chicago was ranked first among cities for the number and rate of those entering emergency rooms because of heroin. The Illinois Consortium on Drug Policy at Roosevelt University conducted the study that shows that this problem continues to grow. In the four year span between 2007 and 2011, overdose deaths increased by 115% in Lake County, 100% in Will country and 50% in McHenry County.

6 Week Training Session for Skokie Police

P.J. Newberg is a mom of a heroin addict, who is currently in detox. This mom conducted a six week training session for the police force of Skokie. She is presenting the story of her families struggle with her daughter’s heart breaking heroin addiction. She is also a certified drug counselor and is taking her message about heroin to anyone who is willing to listen. This training session is the first done at a police district. By listening to the stories from this mother the police can be better prepared to handle heroin addiction. The program is hoping to turn a reactive response into a proactive one. She has conducted these presentations at the Glenview library, Northbrook library, Deerfield Village Hall and with the Wilmette police. The extensive training sessions are by far the most detailed. During these sessions the police hear stories about her daughter who is suffering from a heroin addiction. Her daughter became addicted to heroin at the age of 16 and has continued to abuse the drug for three years. She has been in and out of eight different treatment centers and has been arrested repeatedly for shoplifting.

The counselor/mother has shared the signs of heroin abuse in the presentation. She states that smaller pupils, a slower and softer voice, nodding off, changing behaviors, lying, depression, being irritable, stolen money and missing items of the home are all signs of a possible heroin addiction. After the presentation the officers asked a variety of questions pertaining to the behavior of her daughter. The information they gained from this training session will help them battle the ongoing heroin problem in the Skokie area. After all, if the heroin outbreak in Illinois becomes a huge problem then they can start referring individuals to any drug rehab in southern Illinois including the drug rehab Skokie.

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