Pubdate: Sun, 01 Dec 2002
Source: Item, The (SC)
Copyright: 2000 The Item
Contact:  http://www.theitem.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1105
Author: Sharron Haley

TRI-COUNTY SCOURGE

Police and Drug Counselors Say People Seeking Treatment For Addiction Are 
Just the Tip of the Iceberg When It Comes to Substance Abuse in the Area

MANNING - Hundreds seek help for addiction to alcohol, drugs, and now 
tobacco in Clarendon, Lee and Sumter counties each year, and according to 
many treatment professionals, these abusers represent only a fraction of 
the problem. "We treat a lot of people in Clarendon County, but it's just 
the tip of the iceberg of the number of people who have problems in this 
county," said Ann Kirven, executive director of Clarendon Behavioral Health 
Services. "We are coming up on the holiday season when many people may be 
killed because they are drinking and driving or using drugs and driving," 
she said. "We're not treating nearly all the people who have addiction 
problems. "Statistics nationwide show that less than half the people with 
problems seek treatment," she said.

The Drug of Choice

A variety of drugs are prevalent in the tri-county area, including alcohol, 
crack cocaine, cocaine and marijuana. Designer drugs or "club drugs" like 
Ecstasy, GHB, Roofies and methamphetamines are also beginning to be seen 
throughout the region. Most of the designer drug users are described as 
white males, ages 19 to 25, and are fairly affluent. In Sumter, the most 
used drug is crack cocaine, according to Sumter Police Chief Patty 
Patterson. But a legal drug presents the biggest problem in Sumter County.

"The drug we have the biggest problem with is a legal drug called alcohol," 
Sumter County Sheriff Tommy Mims said. "It always has and probably always 
will be our biggest drug problem." Glenn Peagler, director of prevention at 
the Sumter Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, agreed with Mims' 
observation. "The most that we see is alcohol," he said. "That's a given. 
Next would be crack cocaine and then marijuana." Capt. Bobby McDuffie of 
the Lee County Sheriff's Department said, without a doubt, crack cocaine is 
the drug of choice in Lee County. "Even though marijuana is starting to 
make a comeback, crack cocaine is our biggest drug problem," he said. In 
Clarendon County, Sheriff Keith Josey and Manning Police Chief Randy 
Garrett agree crack cocaine is the most used drug. "It's like holes in a 
dike," Garrett said. "You have this finger here and this toe in this hole 
and as soon as you get those plugged, here comes another leak. It's not 
something you can turn your back on and not work. We have to work it 
because if we don't it's going to take over." Patterson stressed the very 
same point about drugs in the Sumter area. "We want to eradicate the drug 
activity, but we do realize it is a very difficult task at best," she said. 
"It's something we have to work at daily. Unfortunately, it is not going 
away, here or anywhere."

Who Are the Users?

"Drug users cross all classes," Josey said. "They know no races or 
religions. They are everybody, rich, poor and in-between." Garrett agrees. 
"Black, white, rich, poor, drugs know no boundaries," he said. Treatment 
centers that are also government agencies don't see a lot of upper income 
clientele, but according to Peagler, that doesn't mean they aren't out 
there using drugs.

Statistics from the South Carolina Department of Alcohol and Other Drug 
Abuse Services show an increase from 2001 to 2002 in white males and white 
females and a decrease in black males and black females seeking treatment 
for drugs. The statistics also show males are bigger users than females 
with those age 18 to 20 representing the biggest group followed closely by 
those between the ages of 25 and 44. DAODAS statistics on alcohol users 
seeking treatment represent a bigger disparity between races and sexes. In 
2001 and 2002, 51 percent of those seeking treatment were white males. 
Black males decreased from 25 percent in 2001 to 23 percent in 2002 while 
females remained at 16 percent for the two-year period. Black females 
increased from 5 percent in 2001 to 6 percent in 2002. And those between 
the ages of 35 and 44 represented the largest segment seeking help. DAODAS 
statistics show black males and females seek treatment for crack cocaine 
treatment more often than white males and females. The number of black 
males seeking treatment dropped from 40 percent in 2001 to 37 in 2002. The 
number of black females seeking treatment remained at 23 percent during the 
two-year period. White males seeking treatment stayed the same at 21 
percent, while white females increased from 15 percent in 2001 to 18 
percent in 2002. Statistics on the number of men seeking treatment for 
marijuana usage dropped from 2001 to 2002. White males decreased from 38 
percent to 37 percent and black males dropped from 35 percent to 32 
percent. Black females remained the same at 10 percent; white females 
showed an increase from 16 percent to 19 percent.

THE MONEY TO BUY Since law enforcement and treatment professionals agree 
drugs are the biggest problem, where is the money coming from? "We see 
women who have turned to prostitution, writing bad checks and stealing to 
get the cash they need to buy their drugs," said Eula Chambers, master 
social worker at the Lee Center. The men get the money for their drugs 
primarily through stealing, she said. And, according to Garrett, drug users 
will steal from anyone, even those to whom they are closest. "When they 
have the need for drugs, it doesn't matter if they are stealing from their 
family members, they will do it," he said. "Drugs tear lives apart," Josey 
said. "Families, friends, co-workers ... everybody hurts."

The Court System

The court system and the manner in which prosecutors should deal with users 
and sellers is the one area where opinions among law enforcement officials 
and treatment professionals differ. Some believe there is a strong need for 
stricter penalties, fines and jail time while others believe the focus 
should be on educating jurors on drugs and addicts and the right way to 
rehabilitate habitual offenders. "If jail is a deterrent, then more people 
need to go to jail," Mims said. "In my opinion, the penalties and fines 
need to be increased." Kirven would also like to see arrests and 
convictions increase but she would also like for the families of the 
addicts to seek treatment. Garrett doesn't think all of the blame can be 
put on the judicial system for a simple reason: "It is overwhelmed." But, 
he does believe repeat offenders should be dealt with strongly. "When you 
have people who are continuing to deal drugs and show up in the court 
system, it is time to quit playing with them," he said. "It's time to send 
them away to do hard time." Patterson and Peagler stress the need for 
educating jurors because courts don't turn the dealers back out on the 
streets, the jurors do. "For whatever reason, jurors are letting drug 
dealers go," Patterson said. "That is disheartening from a law enforcement 
standpoint. When you have everything that is necessary for a good case but, 
for whatever reason, the person goes to trial before a jury and one person 
on that jury makes all the difference in the world on whether the defendant 
is found guilty or not guilty." Patterson believes that by promoting 
prevention and repeatedly making the public aware of the drug trade, 
potential jurors will have a better understanding on which to base their 
decisions. The problem, Peagler agrees, is residents on juries let the 
culprits go. "The police department does their research, the defendant asks 
for a jury trial, and the citizens on the jury let him go," he said.

What to Look For?

"Addicted people are extremely manipulative," Kirven said. "Many times 
their families aren't aware there is a problem. I've seen two women 
recently who have lived with men for three and four years and they never 
knew there was a drug problem until the end." People might suspect 
something, but they don't want to accept the reality, she said. A lot of 
times parents won't know their children are using, she said. The parents 
will see a change in grades or attitude, but like most people, they don't 
want to believe that their child has a problem. Parents often look for 
other reasons rather than getting their child drug tested and going from 
there. According to DAODAS, one of the first signs that a teenager is 
abusing drugs is he'll need more money. The teenager might become 
secretive, moody, disinterested, and might acquire a new set of friends. To 
keep children from trying drugs, parents should build up trust with their 
children, get involved in their lives and develop a dialogue with them. But 
if a drug problem becomes evident, don't hide from it, seek help 
immediately for them and for the entire family, officials advise. Even 
though adults are more adept at hiding their addictions than teenagers, 
officials said, they exhibit some of the same signs of drug usage, the need 
for more money and behavioral changes.

The Holiday Season

The holidays are a stressful time for people without dependencies but for 
alcoholics and drug addicts, the period from Thanksgiving through the first 
of the year is a very volatile time. "The holidays make people depressed," 
Kirven said. "They feel their life is out of control and either use more 
drugs or drink more, which only adds to their depression. And sometimes the 
depression leads to suicide." To help get through the holiday party season, 
DAODAS has a booklet containing recipes for tasty and festive non-alcoholic 
drinks and high-protein party foods. To receive a copy, contact THE 
DRUGSTORE Information Clearinghouse at 1-800-942-DIAL.

Available Treatment

Since a lot of people are using more than one drug, Peagler said, he treats 
the addiction and not the drug. Treatment professionals stress the need to 
get help for the addict and family members. Different methods of treatment 
are provided through day treatment programs, halfway houses, inpatient 
treatment, residential treatment and specialized services. The county 
offices of DAODOS will personalize a treatment program for a particular 
individual. "We're here to help addicts get help," Chambers said. "If we 
can't provide the proper services for them, we'll refer them to someone who 
can." Kicking an addiction is not something a person can do alone. 
Lifestyle changes have to occur for an addict to kick the habit. Addicts 
must change their friends, where they hang out, and they desperately need 
support from their families. "Addicts may think they can still hang out 
with the same people and say no, but believe me, they will not be cured 
until they stop associating with other addicts," Garrett said. "It's so 
much better when families confront an issue and seek help before something 
terrible happens," Kirven said.
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