A Jan. 11 Community First forum about substance abuse in Lincoln County attracted a small, but concerned and dedicated, group.
Six members of the Boothbay region substance abuse support group Taking the Blinders Off were the only attendees at the forum in the Great Salt Bay Community School cafeteria.
Lincoln Academy School Resource Officer Mark Bridgham, Lincoln Academy Associate Head of School Andrew Mullin and Joyce Steel, substance abuse prevention coordinator for Healthy Lincoln County, hosted the forum.
Taking the Blinders Off members shared stories of their experiences with youth substance abuse.
A mother said her children’s underage drinking led to marijuana use and, subsequently, to abuse of dextromethorphan (a cough suppressant readily available in over-the-counter medications) and oxycodone.
The woman said she didn’t have the education to detect her children’s alcohol and drug use. They didn’t cough or smell of illicit substances, they earned good grades at school and continued to go to work. “They’re functioning addicts,” she said.
Another mother from the group said one of her children “just started spiraling” and “became an addict.”
“Nobody could have ever told me how horrible it was going to be,” she said.
“I’m not so sure what I would have done differently,” the woman said, although the experiences of all the parents in the group make it “a great source” for parents dealing with similar issues.
“We all have taken a different path trying to help our children,” she said.
“We want people on the Boothbay peninsula to understand how bad the prescription drug problem is,” another member said. “Back when I was in high school, you smoked pot. Kids today, they’re taking a prescription pill and if they take it five or six times, they’re hooked.”
The members expressed frustration with the response of other parents, social services and local law enforcement to their efforts.
Steel suggested Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous as sources for addicts. She also encouraged the attendees to contact their legislators and protest efforts by the administration of Gov. Paul LePage to cut funding to treatment programs.
Bridgham and Mullin spoke about recent changes at Lincoln Academy as a response to community concerns.
The school has adopted “more severe” penalties for drug possession and use and an “in the presence of” policy, which allows it to discipline students who attend a party featuring underage alcohol or drug use, regardless of whether they take part, Mullin said.
The school has also improved upon communications with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO). Before this year, LCSO couldn’t share information about students with the school. For example, if Bridgham, who is also an LCSO deputy, responded to a party over the weekend where students were drinking and/or using illegal drugs, he couldn’t report the information to administrators.
“We’ve been able to open a door that’s been completely closed,” Bridgham said.
Mullin acknowledged the “reactionary nature” of the recent measures and said his desire to proactively address alcohol and drug use, as well as other issues, inspired the Community First series.
The administrator talked about a hypothetical situation in which the school might suspend a student for 10 days for arriving at school under the influence of marijuana. “What do you think he’s going to do for 10 days?” Mullin asked.
“We can react, we have to, but at the same time, that doesn’t solve the issue,” he said. “There has to be a way to promote awareness, to promote non-risk behavior, to promote healthy athletes and healthy students and to promote a healthier community.”
The next Community First forum will take place Wed., Feb. 1 at 5:30 p.m. at the Jefferson Village School.
Taking the Blinders Off meets every Thursday from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the Boothbay Harbor Congregational Church.
“We keep it anonymous, what happens at the group and who goes,” a group member said. “We want people to know you don’t have to be alone on this. We want to help you.”
