Avon Lake Heroin and Opiate Forum Draws Hundreds

More than 200 people turned out for the first of several planned forums on opiate addiction June 11 at the Avon Lake Public Library.

The forum was put together by Mayor Greg Zilka and offered startling statistics about an exploding drug problem, but offered hope to those affected by narcotics.

“The obituaries that appeared in the news became familiar names,” Mayor Greg Zilka said, opening up the June 11 Opiate Forum. “Very little was said publicly. That is why as your mayor, I chose to speak out publicly.”

Another forum will be held on Aug. 13 at 6 p.m. in the Avon Lake library Gallery. The presentation was taped by Avon Lake Community Television and will be broadcast next week. It will also be available online at avonlake.pegcentral.com next week.

Zilka called in an epidemic.

The forum featured Lorain County Coroner Stephen Evans, Avon Lake Municipal Court Judge Darrel Bilancini; Marva Jones, a clinical counselor; Joel Reichin, Lorain County Alcohol Services prevention educator; Police Chief Dave Owad; Fire Chief Chris Huerner, a representative of SOLACE Lorain County, Eric R., a heroin user and Lisa Taylor, the parent of a heroin addict.

Evans opened the discussion with a compelling presentation of heroin facts nationally and in Ohio.

“He’s right, it is an epidemic,” Evans said of Zilka’s comment. “The CDC, coroner’s office and state agree, it’s an epidemic, a deadly epidemic.”

Evans statistics show that 5 people every hour are dying every hour in the United States from a drug overdose. In Ohio, 5 people die every day from drug abuse.

“The numbers are just exploding,” Evans said. “We’re not dealing with what we were dealing with.” 

He said that due to prescription medicines, higher populations are exposed besides cities and common everyday people, including mothers, fathers, friends, professionals who are overdosing.

He said he expects this year’s numbers will surpass the 61 deaths in 2012, noting deaths in 2013 from overdoses area already up 25 percent.

Evans said 1 out of 30 people in Lorain County are addicts and more than 100 die a day across the United States.

“Ohio, in 2010, was ranked 11,” Evans said.  “Now, we’re ranked No. 5 for deaths from prescription pills.”

The typical age of death is 25 to mid 50s.

The youngest death in the county was a 2-year-old who died after ingesting a pill found on the floor. The oldest was 75, who was sharing heroin with his grandson.

“I can remember when grandfathers used to fish with their grandsons,” Evans said. “I guess times really have changed.”

Opiates are narcotic pain killers including Oxycontin, Vicodin, Opana, codeine and  heroin.

Evans said that because a pill is a prescription does not make it safe and called them “heroin in pill form.”

“They are addictive and they are killing people,” Evans said, adding that for every death, greater numbers are using and are addicted. In 2010, for the first time, death from overdoses surpassed motor vehicle accidents.

Addiction starts at home

Often, addiction starts in the home, not on the streets. Eighty percent of youth start drug habits from home medicine cabinet. Many move on to the cheaper option of heroin.

A study shows 20-25 percent of high school seniors use drugs. Many, including parents, think prescription drugs are safe.

“Heroin is big in our schools, especially upscale communities,” the coroner said, saying parents need to become educated about the risks of opiates and make sure children understand the risks and that they are “going to be offered these things at school.”

“Clean up your community and clean up your own medicine cabinet,” Evans

said.

The addict

Eric, who said he moved to Avon Lake when he was a high school sophomore, said he was addicted to opiates for 11 years, starting after he graduated.

Multiple hernia operations lead to an addiction to pain killers. In 2007, as an “out of control” addict, he became a father. 

 “They replace your body’s ability to produce emotions,” Eric said, of opiates. “I never realized the point where I went from when I needed them to when I wanted them. I didn’t have them and I felt sick.”

His addiction has lead to having “not a true marriage” and cost him his job.

“The lies…you lie to everyone, your friends and your family,” he said. After losing his job, he began stealing from families, friends and eventually businesses, landing in jail.

“While I don’t recommend jail as a treatment,” Eric joked, “it worked for me.”

He returned to find his sister, also an addict, heading off to women’s prison.

It was then, he said, he stopped using and hasn’t used since. He noted the difficulty in trying to get into a treatment center.

“We need to do more,” he said.

The parent

Avon Lake’s Lisa Taylor, a parent of four, spoke of her daughter’s addiction.

“It’s absolutely time for us to come out of our comfort zones.

Costs for treatment is a minimum $2,800 month.

Taylor said her daughter came to her and said she was an addict.

“We went through grief and anger and looking for someone to blame,” she said.  Her daughter went through rehab, and the affect on her family was significant.

“Let me assure you that it can happen to you,” she said. “We need not to be ashamed or embarrassed about it.”

Her daughter has been off drugs for two years and is now engaged to be married.

 The counselors

Joel Reichin, Lorain County Alcohol Services prevention educator has spoken to Avon Lake students on several occasions. While students have voluntarily attended his sessions, he said addressing the issue needs to be more than one person.

“It needs to be a community effort; it’s all hands on deck,” Reichlin said. “It’s bigger than Avon Lake but there are steps that can be taken in the schools and community… that hopefully will bring about change and save some lives.

Clinical counselor Marva Jones said there needs to be an openness.

The ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy has to be erased,” she said, adding that if your child comes home and tells you a neighbor is using, call the parents, call the school. “A lot of times family members are in denial.”

Safety forces

“There probably isn’t one department in the city more frustrated (than his department),” Owad said. “As many times as we have arrested someone, the next week, the next month, we’re right back after them.”

Many people, he said, will contact the police department but hesitate to go on the record, adding to the department’s frustration.

“There’s nothing more heartbreaking to see a loved one, especially one who has their whole life ahead of them, gone,” Owad said adding that buying from a street dealer is particularly hazardous since buyers don’t know what they are getting.

Avon Lake Fire Chief Chris Huerner gave a rundown of overdoses and noted that the ages range from early teens to 50s and was spread out through the community.

Specific to Avon Lake, he said it’s not contained to one neighborhood from the 45 District to the mansions, in every ward.

“It’s everywhere,” Huerner said.

Avon Lake Municipal Court Darrel Bilancini said possession of heroin is a felony and he often sees addicts arrested for theft to support their habits. He said several of those who overdosed locally in the past year were in, or just finished, treatment.

“People are caught stealing steaks from Giant Eagle to sell at bars and buy heroin,” Bilancini said.