Getting The Word Out About Drugs –

A Mother Finds The Courage To Speak

By Tanjua Damon

“Ian was a beautiful child and he developed into a handsome young man. He was caring and sensitive,” Ginger Katz said about her 20-year-old son who died of a heroin overdose in 1996. “He won the hearts of so many.”

Middle school students from St Rose and Newtown Middle School filled the auditorium June 18 to hear a mother’s message about loosing her son and the importance of speaking out against substance abuse. Mrs Katz brings her talk, “Courage to Speak,” so that students as well as parents can understand the importance of supporting each other and understanding how drugs can affect a family.

“Yes, addiction is a disease. I clearly understand it now,” Mrs Katz said. “We are not talking about this problem enough. Part of this disease is deception. He was good at deceit. Drugs make you crazy. They change your life forever.”

Mrs Katz believes Ian began using marijuana in eighth grade. In ninth grade Ian was arrested after being found in a car with friends and marijuana. The police called for her to come pick up Ian. When she arrived, the police officer told Ian that if he ever caught him again he would arrest him. Letting Ian go allowed him to miss the lesson of consequences.

“Enabling is allowing behavior to continue without consequences. Ian received the message that it was okay. Nothing will happen,” Mrs Katz said. “So when parents give you rules, they are trying to prevent you from being hurt. There are consequences to breaking those rules. They are not always consistent, but they care about you.”

Mrs Katz told the students there were signs that something was not right with Ian. His grades began to drop, he could not get up in the morning, and he was angry.

“Kids sometimes manipulate the situation when there is drug use. That leads to disaster,” Mrs Katz said. “I know some of you are thinking it’s only marijuana. I don’t underestimate marijuana. Sometimes it is laced.”

The idea for drug dealers is to get children hooked, according to Mrs Katz. It is a business that does not discriminate. The problem affects all socioeconomic backgrounds.

“The deal is to try to get kids hooked on hard drugs,” Mrs Katz said. “This is a business. There’s a lot of money in this business.”

Mr Katz warned the students that once drug use begins, the only way to stop is to help yourself. Your parents and counselors can help support you through the tough times, but only the drug user can make the decision to stop.

“If you have an addiction, your parents can’t get you out of it,” she said. “Only you can get yourself out of it.”

Mrs Katz wrote in a journal after Ian’s death to help heal the pain. She knew she had to speak out about the addiction that took her son’s life.

“The drugs robbed you and me of a relationship,” she wrote. “You were gone long before you died.”

“This is something a parent never ever gets over,” Mrs Katz told the students. “They just go through it knowing they lost a child.”

The person addicted goes through trying to survive by hiding the addiction, according to Mrs Katz. Statistics show the earlier the involvement the increased chance of addiction.

“Violence and drugs go together,” she said. “When you walk with drugs and get involved, you are walking with people on the other side of the street. It’s not a good place to be.”

Mrs Katz encouraged the students to find three to five adults they could share anything with and to speak out when someone is in trouble.

“I understand the struggles you have,” she said. “I don’t have all the answers. We’re not blaming here. These are choices you have.”

Tears could be seen streaming down the faces of students and teachers during Mrs Katz’s talk. Many left feeling the message and understanding the importance of speaking out.

“It was a good assembly. I don’t know if I was touched as to what the goal was,” Nick Paproski said. “By now if your parents haven’t gotten the negative effects of drugs across to you, you are in big trouble.”

Alyssa McIntrye thought the talk was good and informative on what drugs can do to a person’s life.

“It was pretty good,” she said. “Because it offered how it can affect your entire life and change the entire family.”

Parents also received Mrs Katz message during a June 20 presentation. St Rose School, Newtown Middle School and St Rose Parish Education made the programs possible for the students and parents.

Ginger Katz can be reached through The Courage To Speak Foundation at (203) 866-5282 or by email at Gkcourage@aol.com. Visit the web site at www.couragetospeak.com.