Cough syrup abuse hits Havana

[bigkweaver]

Thanks Shiela for that last comment. It is easy to judge a parent when you dont have children. I was married 11 yrs to an addict and it is so frustrating because you feel so helpless. You cant internalize it and blame yourself. Its not fair to blame the parent, spouse or partner either. If you start to take resposibility for the actions of other then you drift into being a co-dependent.Brandee has to support her daughter but also she still is a parent to her 3 other children. Its an awful situation and it pulls her heart in so many different directions. Brandee needs prayer and support NOT condemnation and rebuke. The issue here is addiction and drug use in our community. I hope we can focus on that topic and people like "Sadly" need to focus on their own family or lack there of. Dont borrow other peoples trouble!Thanks Sheila,Ted and Soldiers Mother for the support and words of wisdom.

[Ted Connolly]

I received the following email this morning from a Havana resident. I would just like to say THANK YOU to CVS and all the other businesses who have taken this problem seriously and have taken necessary actions to keep it out of the hands of area children. Portions of the email is as follows:

I went to CVS to get cough medicine for my youngest daughter last night. I had to jump through a couple of hoops and I was thrilled. Not only have they taken these over-the-counter drugs off the shelves, you have to show your ID, and sign a paper. When I got my register receipt, another receipt printed out saying......PREVENTING TEEN COUGH MEDICINE ABUSE. At the bottom it said "you must be 18 years or older to purchase medicine containing dextromethorphan". I know this has just happened since these articles have been published. So there has definitely been tremendous progress it is a good thing.

[Havana soldiers mother]

Hi coker! I liked your comment

"Just an after thought but when my daughters were teenagers, I got the most advice on parenting from women who had no children. Go figure!!!"

[Havana soldiers mother]

Oh Ted! I am SO proud of all of us working together to get this word out! I am so happy with CVS's progress. I haven't been into CVS for almost a week, but planning to do my shopping tomarrow. I can't wait to see my recipt!:)

[bigkweaver]

There is an article in the new Woman's Day Magazine(Feb edition)on children and cough medication abuse. I think word must be getting out there about this growing problem.Im glad to see this issue is getting some media attention. The more awareness we have the better the chances we have of saving more kids.Its a small article but its a start.

[Havana soldiers mother]

JUST A NOTE...I GOT PHONE CALL FROM MY GRANDMA FROM SPRINGFIELD, OUR ARTICLE GOTTEN INTO THE SPRINGFIELD AND LINCOLN PAPER! WAY TO GO GUYS! I AM PROUD OF US ALL! I HAVE DECIDED TO HONOR A PAGE ON MYSPACE FOR PARENTS AGAINST OTC DRUG ABUSE. MY URL IS
www.myspace.com/parentagainstotcdrugabuse

[Ted Connolly]

Yes, they are all Gatehouse owned newspapers and Brenda's story was picked up by all of them.

[Havana soldiers mother]

Well, update: Sadly, my son is back in rehab. Only this time, it's a court order for him to go to rehab or spend 12 months in jail. Which I am SO GLAD because either way, for now, he is safe and I don't have to worry about him right now. If he leaves or gets kicked out, he goes directly to jail! He has stole a 400 dollar stereo from his step dad, he stole a 800 dollar speakers and $90 cash from his soldier brother and broke into my toolbox for pills, which I now bought a metal one, but I know that he will break into it one way or another. he stole some cash from his little brothers too. he stole some nartoctics from his step mom too. we have filed charges on luke for stealing those stereo and speakers and cash. I know it was a hard decision, but it don't matter if he is MY son or not, what he did is wrong! btw: since we got the corcidin behind the shelf here in havana, the kids are now driving to canton stealing coricidin.

[deja vu]

i am having a very bad case of deja vu here bc i think i saw an episode of south park about this lol

[Havana soldiers mother]

deja vu wrote:

i am having a very bad case of deja vu here bc i think i saw an episode of south park about this lol

What is so funny?

[one mother to another]

First I want it known that any one of any age using any product in order to get a "high" is wrong, however I believe it needs to be brought to attention that we all need to monitor our kids more, be more involved in their lives. By being more involved our children will be less likely to try doing anything like this, and we as parents will be more aware of what our kids are doing when we're not around. On a more personal note, Brandee, you need to ask your self why your daughter is doing these things, and what is it you're doing or not doing in her life that is causing your daughter to act out this way. I know you from Illinois, are you still paying more attention to the men in your like that your kids? If so, then your daughter is trying to get your attention any way she can. Not only that but you can expect worse yet to come. You need to really and truly be a MOTHER to your kids!

[ticked off]

good grief.. you working for the mother of the year award or what.. get over yourself ONE MOTHER TO ANOTHER!! kids do what they may at times and it has nothing to do with their parents.. my family has had issues in one way or another, does not mean my mother did not do her job or was never there for us.. who do you think you are to pass judgement on someone and their parenting skills.. you should be ashamed of yourself..

[juggalo]

ive been there and done it i love tripping on cough syrup its funny that this was going on in 2004 arent you old folks a little to late???get real

[A Mother of 2]

fawn wrote:

so here is something helpful. there is no reason a parent should not be able to control there child. there is such thing as dicipline a teeneager should not be aloud out of the house all hours of the night. it is really not that hard if they are stealing you dont let them leave if they are cutting class you take them to school call and make sure they are there every hour and if they are not there you go find them. you have to care and love a child for them not to be bad give them attention and teach them right from wrong. telling a child something doesnt mean anything they learn from their parents actions and if a parent has a drug issue chances are their child will too. seeing is believing. this is just my opinion but i think if more parents paid attention to their kids these problems wouldn't be going on. it all starts with them

Fawn - you obviously do not have children. They are all differant. I have seen Great parents devestated from drug addiction. I have seen families that have 3 children, 1 is the nerd, 1 is the athlete and 1 is a drug addict. Don't think you know how to raise children until you have the. Any information given to a parent should be used wisely. Know who your children are hanging around with, wait for them to come home at night, lock up prescription drugs, do not have alcohol in your home. A parent must do anything and everything to try and keep their children on the good path of life. It only takes one slip and they could be gone forever.

[Guest]

Coker wrote:

Hi Havana soldiers mother, I am so glad to see a comment from someone who really knows what addiction does to a family. It has nothing to do with parenting, it is a disease. You and your sons continue to be in my thoughts and prayers. I was shocked to hear about the braces and what your orthodontist said is very true. I told my granddaughter and she was shocked. She said that your son has told her many times that was something he would never do. I know the people who are supplying this are "flying under the radar" right now, but sooner or later they will get caught. Just an after thought but when my daughters were teenagers, I got the most advice on parenting from women who had no children. Go figure!!!

Those who consider addiction a disease are only placing blame in the wrong direction. YOUR child CHOSE to do drugs. Start putting the blame where it belongs, with the addict.

[Guest]

deja vu wrote:

i am having a very bad case of deja vu here bc i think i saw an episode of south park about this lol

That was a good episode. I recall them making the point about "personal responsibility" too in an episode about Randy's drinking.

[Guest]

one mother to another wrote:

First I want it known that any one of any age using any product in order to get a "high" is wrong, however I believe it needs to be brought to attention that we all need to monitor our kids more, be more involved in their lives. By being more involved our children will be less likely to try doing anything like this, and we as parents will be more aware of what our kids are doing when we're not around. On a more personal note, Brandee, you need to ask your self why your daughter is doing these things, and what is it you're doing or not doing in her life that is causing your daughter to act out this way. I know you from Illinois, are you still paying more attention to the men in your like that your kids? If so, then your daughter is trying to get your attention any way she can. Not only that but you can expect worse yet to come. You need to really and truly be a MOTHER to your kids!

THANK YOU!!!!

[Havana soldiers mother]

Guest wrote:

<quoted text>
THANK YOU!!!!

I take it you don't have kids either! It's NOT that the parents are not watching their kids or don't care what their children is doing. It's the choice the kids make. Before you jump conclusion and jump my arse, I have been dealing with this with one of my boys for a long time. Don't tell me it's my parenting skills. I have 4 sons, out of 4 kids, 1 is into cough syrup. My other 2 boys are on high honor rolls, and my oldest son is a soldier. It's not bad parenting skills. Don't judge Brandee either. Before I experienced this with my son's cough syrup usage, I thought that all kids that were into drugs, were from bad parenting. Not true.

[fawn]

Fawn - you obviously do not have children. They are all differant. I have seen Great parents devestated from drug addiction. I have seen families that have 3 children, 1 is the nerd, 1 is the athlete and 1 is a drug addict. Don't think you know how to raise children until you have the. Any information given to a parent should be used wisely. Know who your children are hanging around with, wait for them to come home at night, lock up prescription drugs, do not have alcohol in your home. A parent must do anything and everything to try and keep their children on the good path of life. It only takes one slip and they could be gone forever.
Mother of 2- First of all you have no idea who I am and just because I do not put that I have children in my name does Not mean I do not have them. So why don't you think about things before you write them. A child should be punished for there actions and that is a parents job to do that with out guidence or dicipline they have nothing. That is all I have to say.

[McGillicutty Honeysuckle]

If your child is addicted to cough syrup

YA MIGHT BE A BAD PARENT

If your child is from Havan

YA MIGHT BE A BAD PARENT

If your name is Brandee

YA MIGHT BE A BAD PARENT