My Response: Huffing In Utah County

An article in today's Provo Daily Herald discusses the dangers of huffing legal substances that are generally easily available in just about any store. This particular article focused on huffing Air Dusters--the cans of compressed air everyone uses to clean computers and other electronics.
All in all, the article was fairly well-written, and did an OK job at educating the public on the dangers of huffing in general. The responses that followed the article were not really intelligent, and failed to address the issue in our community.

Here is me response:

"Anyone who believes there isn't a drug problem in Utah county is either an idiot, or in heaps of self-denial. Whether it's illegal drugs, or readily available OTC items, the drug problem is as bad here as anywhere in the nation.

Unfortunately, LDS Church members prefer to sweep any issues under the rug; presumably so their families don't look bad to other church members. The ONLY thing this accomplishes is allow the drug abuse to escalate and possibly even spread within the family; further damaging every family member--in some way--in the process.

Addressing substance abuse, in whatever form, is vital to the battle. Acknowledgement, addressing it and productively dealing with the problem are the best ways to tackle any abuse issues. As parents, you must stand up and protect the other children in your household; while standing up to the abuser. It's not fun; but hiding from the problem does NOT make it simply go away.

Forget the embarrassment you might face at church. The well-being of your family is vastly more important than denying such abuse exists. So do what you MUST do in order to save yourself, your child or your family from the devastating effects of drug abuse!"


~16 Oct 13 Follow-up~

I only got one response to the comment above and, typical for this area, the respondent denied the scope of the drug problem here in Utah County. His comment:

"Utah county's drug problem is as bad as anywhere in the nation? You've clearly never been to Detroit or Baltimore or pretty much any other metropolitan area in this country. We do have a drug problem in Utah, no doubt, but you're crazy if you think it compares to some of the worst areas in this country. We actually have it pretty good compared to them."

Of course, with that kind of a comment, you know I had to respond; so, here is my follow-up to the reader:

"Sorry...your argument is hollow. I've spent considerable time in Chicago, LA, Seattle, Tampa and Detroit, and have been a medic on the streets of Atlanta. The drug problem in Utah County IS as bad here as anywhere; we simply don't see it so openly displayed as in other cities.
Denial of the problem by individuals such as yourself does not help anyone address the issue. Drugs are here, they've been here for years, and the problem will only continue to grow on our streets and in our homes if everyone sits around saying, "We actually have it pretty good compared to...[those other cities]."
So bury your head in the sand--like so many others in this area--and continue to deny the scope of illicit drugs in our community. Maybe the drugs will just go away...
...after all, we live in Happy Valley where nothing bad goes on... (right?)"

"And by the way AP, Thank you for perfectly illustrating my point that I placed in the first two lines of my original comment. Love it when others do that for me! Have a wonderful day!"