How Do You Combat Substance Abuse Issues?

In light of the issues raised at Wednesday's Substance Abuse Awareness night, how

The message during Wednesday's Substance Abuse Awareness Night was clear. Communication is a key element in preventing addiction issues. But as Police Chief Michael Begonis told the crowd inside Wilmington Middle School, there is no "silver bullet" that will guarantee children won't become addicted to drugs. Begonis and other speakers offered tips, stressing the importance of things like family dinners and monitoring social media and cell phone use. So how do you handle the difficult topic of drug use with your family? What tip do have for your fellow residents to talk to your children about drug use? What were your thoughts on Wednesday's Substance Abuse Awareness Night? Overall, what is Wilmington's best chance of slowing down or …

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Speakers Provide Personal, Powerful Stories of Drug Addiction

Wednesday night's Substance Abuse Awareness Night had a personal message from speakers who have seen the dangers of drug addiction first hand.

Katie Shea stood inside Wilmington Middle School under much different circumstances than when she was there previously. And as she spoke in front of a silent auditorium full of parents and children alike, it was evident just how far she’d come. “I did a lot of drugs in these bathrooms as a seventh grader and eighth grader,” said Shea during Wednesday’s Substance Abuse Awareness Night. “If only I had listened, I wouldn’t be where I was today.” Shea’s powerful and personal tale was one of warning as she and other speakers told audience members just how important it is to frequently speak to children about drugs at a young age in order to prevent the dire consequences of addiction. The Shawsheen Technical High School graduate spoke about her …

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Drug Abuse an Ongoing Issue in Wilmington

In advance of Wednesday's Substance Abuse Awareness Night, look back at Patch's September series on drug addiction in Wilmington.

Fighting Drug Abuse 'Bigger Than Just Wilmington'

In the final part of Patch's five part series, police and town officials weigh in on the importance of stopping local drug issues.

Editor’s Note: The following is Part Four of Patch’s five part series on drug use in Wilmington. You can find the previous four stories on our topic page. Part One included local reaction to the problem, Part Two featured a look at a possible drug coalition forming in town, Part Three gave personal stories of what addiction can do to families and Part Four showed why officials and police believe communication is the key to preventing young drug use. As has been seen on a local level, the impact drug addiction has is wide ranging. In addition to physical and emotional tolls that addiction takes on the user and their friends and family, Wilmington has also seen a string of crime related to drug use in recent months. From a CVS robbery of …

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Town Stresses Communication to Combat Young Drug Abuse

Wilmington police, school and town officials said open lines of communications with young residents is critical to combating drug addiction.

Editor’s Note: The following is Part Four of Patch’s five part series on drug use in Wilmington. You can find the previous three stories on our topic page. Part One included local reaction to the problem, Part Two featured a look at a possible drug coalition forming in town and Part Three gave personal stories of what addiction can do to families. Education and communication. They are the two words that town officials and police stress in combating drug addiction in young residents. “People with the real influence on young people are their peers. So as a parent, how can you compete with that if you have only talked to your children about drugs once or twice?” said Wilmington Police Chief Michael Begonis. “You really have to have that line …

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Families Deal With Consequences of Drug Addiction

Wilmington residents share their stories of how drug abuse by relatives impacted their family.

Editor’s Note: The following is Part Three is Patch’s five-part series on drug use in Wilmington. Part One featured input on the topic from town officials and police and Part Two included a look at a potential drug coalition forming in town. To find all of the week’s stories in one location, visit the topic page for the series. Jen Mason has seen the damaging impact of drug addiction first hand, and she isn't the only one with a similar story. Mason’s sister began using Oxycodone about 12 years ago following a car accident and has struggled with substance abuse ever since, now turning to heroin on a regular basis. “It can happen to anybody,” said Mason, a Wilmington resident. “We come from a middle class family where my father told us …

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Wilmington Eyes Coalition to Combat Increased Drug Concerns

Health Director Shelly Newhouse is in the initial stages of forming the drug coalition.

Editor’s Note: The following is Part Two in Wilmington Patch’s five part series on drug use in Wilmington. In Part One on Monday we provided a look at how much of an issue town officials and police believe drugs are in town. Check back throughout the week for more stories, and to find all five stories in one place, you can visit the topic page for our drug series. Town officials and police have identified drug use as one of the problems facing Wilmington residents. Now they’ve found what they hope to be a solution to that problem. Director of Public Health Shelly Newhouse is leading the charge in forming a local drug coalition that would bring together representatives from the school system, Wilmington Police Department, local government …

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G. Bradford

1:02 pm on Wednesday, October 10, 2012

What do you suggest is a better solution?   more ›

Police See Drug Issues as 'Domestic Terrorism'

Wilmington Police Chief Michael Begonis and others speak out on the topic of drug abuse in the first of a five part series on Wilmington Patch.

Editor’s Note: The following is the first story in a five-part series on various issues related to drug use in Wilmington. Check back throughout the upcoming days for more stories on the topic. The Wilmington Police Department handles a wide variety of issues on a daily basis. But one of those issues has become too common in recent months, and it's something police are hoping to put a stop to. “Illicit drug trafficking is a form of domestic terrorism to some extent,” said Wilmington Police Chief Michael Begonis. “It is preying on folks who are more susceptible and who need a better life. And it’s something that we need to deal with head on.” There have been a wide variety of incidents in recent months with ties to prescription drugs and …

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