Innocents in Peril

INCREASE IN DRUG-EXPOSED INFANTS ALARMING

In one of the most abhorrent statistics published in our newspaper in
recent years, a study reveals the number of drug-exposed infants at
one Bluefield hospital has risen 760 percent in 10 years.

Let that sink in for a moment. Not a five or 10 percent gain -- or 50,
100 or 200 percent. But a 760 percent increase.

It's contemptible.

The escalating drug problem in Mercer and surrounding counties is no
secret.

Read the headlines, watch the news, talk to those within the criminal
justice system or chat with people who have the misfortune to live in
neighborhoods stricken by this plague.

We know it's here, and we know police are courageously fighting an
uphill battle to put the scourge of society dealing drugs behind bars
- -- with enough evidence to keep them there.

But the realization of the drug toll on our infants brings a new, vile
element to this issue.

The infant drug-exposure data was reported to the Daily Telegraph by
Matt Smith, coordinator of the Mercer County Prevention Partnership.
Smith has been analyzing statistics and research in recent months in
an effort to find a true picture of Mercer County's substance abuse
problem, which can be confirmed by hard data.

The infant study, presented at the 2006 West Virginia Prenatal Summit,
was conducted by local pediatrician Teresa Frazier, M.D.

Frazier studied infants born at Bluefield Regional Medical Center
between 1996 and 2001, and from 2001 to 2006.

In the first five-year time span, eight infants were born requiring
detox, Smith said. However, during the 2001 to 2006 time frame, 61
infants were born needing detox.

And there's more bad news.

"For every one infant born needing detox, there were three
drug-exposed infants total," he said.

Describing this increase as "massive," Smith said many of these
statistics back up the anecdotal or common-sense belief the substance
abuse problem is increasing in Mercer County.

"It crosses all boundaries, from the rich to the poor," Sgt. M.R.
Crowder, with the Princeton Detachment of the West Virginia State
Police, said. "There's no way to determine who is abusing drugs in
this area."

A trooper since 1994, Crowder has watched the "drugs of choice" in the
region evolve from Tylox, Dilaudid and OxyContin. Now, he said,
methadone is starting to become a significant problem

"It's an epidemic in this area -- that's what I feel," Crowder
said.

And it appears he's right.

It's bad enough to know so many adults and teens are foolishly
destroying their lives for the thrill of a high. But the knowledge so
many of our region's innocents -- our infants, our babies -- are now
being born exposed or addicted to drugs is simply horrific.

It's got to stop.

The Mercer County Prevention Partnership is working to initiate a
grassroots approach to inspire community members to assist in getting
drugs out of their neighborhoods.

We strongly encourage all who are able to pitch in and lend an hand to
this effort.

If we don't take a stand now, the substance-abuse problem will only
continue to worsen.

And our future is in enough jeopardy as it is.