Parents, Officials: Underage Alcohol, Drug Use a Concern

Community residents expressed strong concerns Thursday night about teenage drinking and drug use at a forum presented at the .

A panel included members from the school board and administration, Township Committee, , police and medical and health professionals. The Montville Tea Party sponsored the event, which was hosted by steering committee member Scott Russell. 

Emcee for the discussion was Michael Kelly, a former heroin addict who runs an addiction care team at Jacksonville Chapel. Kelly said heroin and opiates are the drugs of choice used by younger kids today. 

“I believe it’s getting worse and worse," Kelly said. "It’s more prevalent than we think, because it’s all underground." 

DAC chairman Bryan Fucetola said drug use is an epidemic. Six million individuals ages 25 and younger admit to using drugs, particularly heroin, in New Jersey.

Teri Haight, assistant principal at , said she has not heard about heroin or opium, but does hear about drinking parties.

“That’s what the middle school kids are talking about," Haight said. "The drinking party—so-and-so’s parents are gonna be away, and they’re having a party.”

member Mike Palma said he also hears about the parties through his association as a liaison for DAC, and finds it disconcerting. 

“It’s very disconcerting to me as a parent, as a board member, as a liaison, to hear stories of parents hosting drinking parties," he said.  

"Parents are knowingly turning a blind eye holding these parties," Fucetola said. "The only way you prevent that is by giving kids other places to be." 

DAC runs activities throughout the school year to provide a drug-free environment. Fucetola said attendance at the monthly DAC dances for middle school students declined this year. The council is evaluating the cause and changing the program this fall. 

Palma said School Superintendent Paul Fried spoke to DAC about a national substance-abuse program called "Communities That Care" he used in his former school district in New York. However, the board learned that a survey for students to participate is not legal within the state of New Jersey without the consent of parents participating.

Palma said Fried was out of town and unable to attend Thursday's forum, but noted that he is extremely approachable.

Dr. Gilbert Mandel from Denville Internal Medicine Cardiology has served on DAC for 20 years. He said drugs have changed since years ago, and he is appalled at the use of heroin by kids, which, when combined with drinking, is lethal.

Mandel referred to clinics in Florida that had recently been shut down for dispensing medication like Oxycontin, Vicodin, Dilordin, Valium, Xanax, Librium, Ativan, without need. Mandel said prescription drugs would soon surpass street drugs. 

Stephanie SaintCyr, a chemical dependency therapist at Dr. Reiken & Associates in Montville, said she has seen addiction devastate communities and families, regardless of the substance. 

“People start behaving in ways that they would never normally behave," she said. "They lie, cheat, steal, are unable to hold jobs, and it doesn’t just affect the person involved. 

SaintCyr said that when family members try to help in the usual way, such as providing money, it could make the problem worse. 

"Denial is part of the problem of addiction. I’ve seen people walk right by things that seem so obvious to an outsider, that they really don’t get it that there is a serious issue involved,” she said. 

Michael Duddy, a chiropractic physician in Montville, parent, coach, co-chairman of DAC and chaperone at events for over 20 years, said it’s not the kids, but rather the parents who are causing the problems. He wants to get to the root of the problem. 

"A number of years ago, we had a high school coach who was throwing beer parties on a Friday night for his varsity team. We know it’s happening. It’s the adults," Duddy said. 

Police Det. Mooney said he gets excuses from parents when he arrests kids.

"Hundreds of iPods are being stolen at the high school each year by kids who are selling them and buying drugs with the money," he said. "The parents in all of these towns have to start realizing that these kids are doing it. Johnny is not a good little boy anymore. He’s addicted to something. And they steal, they lie, but the parents aren’t seeing it.” 

According to Kelly, the price of drugs has gone down. "The going rate for a bag of heroin right now in the heart of Paterson is four bucks," he said.

"So you buy it down there for four bucks a pop and you drive it out here and sell it for 10 or 15 bucks. So your habit gets worse and worse because you’re not making money, but you’re using for free," he said. 

Kelly has five kids from Montville in treatment, and is chasing others down that should be in treatment. He said it's time to wake up.

"This is a harsh reality. I don’t want this to be like a dismal, heartbreaking meeting, but it’s time to wake up. Parents are hiding their heads in the sand, going, "It’s not my kid," while their kid’s lives are being stripped away.”

The second half of the meeting focused on solutions from the panel and members of the audience. Suggestions included speaking to parents at orientation at the beginning of the school year. There were concerns regarding whether a mandatory program could be set up for parents, with the police department and community leaders.

Palma suggested a format similar to a recent homework committee that worked well.

"This might be the type of thing that could lend itself to roundtable discussions, community meetings open to the public, teachers, community members, students. It’s something I would be very happy to take to Dr. Fried and see if he’s interested," he said. 

Township Committee Member Scott Gallopo, a liaison to DAC, said this has been a problem since he was in high school. The problem is that the parents who need the help don't come. Those who do are already on board, so it's like preaching to the choir. 

"There’s no panacea to this problem, Gallopo said. "We’ve had issues in Montville for quite some time. You will never eliminate drug abuse or alcohol experimentation or abuse, period. The only thing you can do is reduce the exposure and limit the impact and make people aware of the consequences."

He said DAC takes a three-prong approach: Awareness at the student level, the community level, and most importantly with the parents.

"They are in denial, unaware, and they’re ignorant," he said. "Ignorance is a choice."

Members of the audience spoke passionately about personal experiences, some going back to the 1970s, underscoring the fact that drugs are not new to Montville.  Resident Janet DeNigris moved here in 1968, when her oldest child was nine. She said the drug situation was just starting to show its face. She managed to start a drug enforcement program with guest speakers at Woodmont School. Lots of parents were involved.

“Here we are, 45 years later, just discovering we have a drug problem in this town." she said.

A parent of eighth-graders spoke about a letter she sent anonymously to the Student Assistance Counselor at Lazar after learning about parties where alcohol was being served. With the understanding that her letter was being addressed, she attended to a DAC meeting only to find her letter had not been shared. She was angry. Her story garnered support from many people. 

Responses included encouragement to write to the press, join with neighbors to stand up against parents who host parties, and reaching out to parent-teacher councils in schools.

Some parents said that drugs could be found within the high school and surrounding property. Palma was very concerned about this, and urged anyone with knowledge to contact high school principal Doug Sanford, or Fried.  

Fucetola urged the group to take action. 

"I applaud you for being here," he said. "I ask you all now to help us in fighting this epidemic, to become our foot soldiers and become our voices. If we all do a little bit to get the word out, maybe we can make some changes.

"If you know something, say something. If you know a party’s going on, call the police. Showing up at that party and maybe seeing something is a lot better than showing up to an accident. So if you know something, say something, and it starts by becoming an advocate."

He said DAC will be having events throughout the year, and people need to attend and bring friends.