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Jefferson, Harrison county educators schooled by Trinity Health System representatives about drug addiction epidemic

Don Ogden, director of behavioral health at Trinity Health System, showed a group of area educators how a plastic pop bottle can be used to smoke marijuana. Ogden spoke at the first session of the Trinity’s Working Together for the Health of Our Communities program held Tuesday afternoon. — Dave Gossett

STEUBENVILLE — Local educators from Jefferson and Harrison counties received a frank and detailed lesson on drug addiction among teenagers Tuesday afternoon at the Jefferson County Educational Service Center’s George-Pugliese Conference Center.

Trinity Health System Director of Behavioral Health Don Ogden was the main speaker at the first of several meetings with school superintendents, principals, teachers and coaches as part of the Working Together for the Health of Our Communities.

According to Joe Tasse, Trinity interim president and chief executive officer, the decision to hold the educational meetings with area educators “was based on the drug epidemic in communities across the country.”

“We feel a responsibility at our hospital to work on prevention in the community. We are already discussing what we can do next. We are facing a very serious epidemic because this epidemic is killing people,” said Tasse.

He noted Trinity will act as a coordinator for local agencies and will plan similar meetings in the future with parents and community groups.

“Trinity reached out to us about two months ago about putting together a prevention program. They met initially with our superintendents and we decided to bring in the key stakeholders from across the counties. We have educators here today from Edison Local, Buckeye Local, Harrison Hills City, Indian Creek Local and Eastern Gateway Community College,” explained ESC Superintendent Chuck Kokiko.

“We are here today to discuss what we are facing in our communities. It is really very sad to see 20-year-olds in the Trinity emergency room after an overdose. We are seeing teenagers using heroin, alcohol and prescription drugs. This can kill you or at the minimum ruin your life,” said Trinity emergency room physician Dr. John Columbus.

“We see a lot of overdoses in the emergency room. Naloxone has been an absolute lifesaver in many cases. But we don’t always get the overdose patient in time. We have seen a recent increase in cocaine overdoses in the past six months. We had a patient who overdosed on cocaine who was scratching his skin and ripping his aorta out. I can tell you there is nothing more horrible than going out to tell a family their child is dead,” said Columbus.

“It is important for us to provide our staff and our students the resources that are available. It is scary to address someone who has a drug problem because it is so scary. It could be our own kids. The availability of these drugs is very scary,” noted Edison Local Superintendent Bill Beattie.

According to Ogden, “75 percent of high school heroin users started with prescription opiods. Prescription drug abuse is a growing problem among teenagers. Xanax is becoming very popular in our community. It is often used with marijuana a lot of the time.

“A lot of kids who abuse prescription drugs transition to heroin by their early 20s. And heroin addicts are high maintenance. Signs to look for among your students is drowsiness, mental confusion, low blood pressure and slurred speech,” said Ogden.

“Children are abusing drugs at the age of 12 or 13. And alcohol is still a very much abused drug,” added Ogden.

“Right now we are facing an opiate epidemic. But we go through a different drug cycle every 15 to 20 years. The opiates will continue for a little bit but meth will probably take its place over time,” predicted Ogden.

He then held a show and tell presentation for the educators as he displayed marijuana bongs, medical tools to hold a marijuana joint, cigars that can have the tobacco removed and replaced with marijuana and clothing showing marijuana leaves.

“If you are a Steelers or Browns fan you are probably going to wear your team’s T-shirt. So when you see someone wearing a marijuana themed T-shirt, that should tell you something,” Ogden stated.

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