There were 5500 methadone related deaths in 2007.Methadone is a synthetic opiate that is used to treat pain and addiction for heroin and other opiates. When methadone is used for pain, doctors write the patient a prescription for various amounts (120 pills seem to be most common) When methadone is used for addiction patient must go to a clinic to receive dose of methadone until they earn take home privileges. Many patients being treated for addiction will remain on medication for life. Methadone is addicting and withdrawals are severe. Methadone represented less than 5% of prescribed opiates but was attributed to 1/3 of all opiate related deaths. A dose that is therapeutic for one person may be lethal to another person. Methadone’s’ unique properties make it unforgiving and sometimes lethal. For more information, please visit www.stopmethadonedeaths.com. Please sign petition and join the forum.

I read here that use and overdose is up and there are community meetings to discuss this. This should be part of that discussion.
If someone you love has an opiate addiction and can't stop, and many of us have been there, the Chicago Recovery Alliance can educate you and the addict on how to stay alive and avoid disease until they accept help and begin their recovery.
Stopping the dealers is one thing. We all want that. But how effective has that been? Keeping your loved ones alive until they will accept help is everything.
Those of us who have loved ones who are addicted all wish that will power and treatment was a magic bullet. Some addicts stay addicts for years, but recovery is always possible.
This organization provides Naloxone also known as Narcan which is the drug that paramedics and emergency rooms give to overdose victims to save their lives. No one should have to die of an overdose and every addict and their family should know about this program. It will save lives. I urge parents and loved ones to share this information. It's not about helping addicts be addicts, it's about keeping them alive until they accept help. Dr. Maxwell is in the video is an psychiatrist in Chicago who treats addiction.
http://www.anypositivechange.org/NALOXONE/
One of the things they should emphasize more in this video is that mixing alcohol and pills or other drugs greatly increases the risk of overdose from opiates.

This is becoming a wide spread epidemic in our area. If it was your son, daughter, mother, or father addicted to any drug you would be fighting night and day to help. I'm sure the law enforcement is well aware, and are swamped with calls and tradgic stories involving overdoses and such. No act of kindness is ever wrong. Stepping up and giving a helping hand is what a community is all about. We all live different lives and go through different struggles, but a problem involving drugs is the worst problem possible.

I am the mother of Brooke Fry. As I had arrived home last Sunday evening, I had several phone calls of other individuals informing me of newspaper articles regarding my daughters death. It is truly unfortunate that Ann Gentile is using her title at a meeting to speak about my daughter Brooke Fry. She is and has assumed to newspapers (four) that my daughter died of an apparent overdose. She is not aware that the ER nurse at the hospital stated upon arrival that she died or alcohol poisoning and aspirated. She had paraded at the most recent District 230 heroin awareness meeting speaking of my daughter as she knew our family well per the Southtown newspaper editor. At the time, it is incredibly wrong of her to assume that her death was linked to heroin without having any facts! I find her actions unconscionable!

I as her sister have chosen not to associate with Ann Gentile for almost a decade. Ann Gentile has no right to assume, act or use her title to talk to reporters about my daughters death. As she is assuming and labeling my daughter; it is inappropriate! There is an investigation and at the time of the article; we did not have the toxicology findings. I am appalled that she would speak on her behalf when she knows NOTHING about my daughter.

I, we as a family are grieving tremendously and do not feel that this is appropriate action on her behalf. I can and will be my daughters advocate; I do not need a stranger or strangers assuming information. All she is trying to be is a media hound unfortunately for all the wrong reasons! She never even sent our family a sympathy card or called to say "I am sorry".

This doesn't get anymore twisted. Ann Gentile has hit record lows by manipulating the press for a little extra camera time, and using her recently deceased relative.... without checking the facts or consulting her parents?????? Cheap parlor tricks. Shame on you! I certainly hope the Patch, as well as the other press question her crediblity, and agenda, the next time she opens her mouth.

For Ms. Fry's parents, I'm so sorry for your loss. Ann Gentile has blatantly poured salt in your open wounds that are so desperately trying to heal. My condolences to your family.

Questioning Gentile's credibility and her motives by the press is a wonderful idea. Unfortunately, her position on the school board has given this woman a lot of power. She and her friends have made decisions that have affected some people's personal lives as well as affecting all the Orland taxpayers. Hopefully, people will remember her actions when she runs for re-election.

It's pretty simple. Home drug testing is the best way to ensure that teens are not using opiates. The heroin use doesn't just start one day. It typically begins as a pill driven habit. Kids start by stealing pills out of their parents medicine cabinets. They also get pills at pill parties. Then, when the supply runs out, that's when they have to turn to heroin. They can't afford $40 or $50 for percocets and oxycontins. So they go get a balloon of black tar heroin for about $8. And believe me, heroin isn't found in a back alley from some shady looking dude. Clean cut, affluent students are walking around with heroin. Thank you for keeping this topic important. Myteensavers has been treating teen addicts. They tell us that home drug testing can detect experimentation before it becomes addiction. They also say having one at home, could have prevented them from trying drugs in the first place.