AUSTIN, Indiana — back in high school in Houston, Texas, C.J. Coomer got good grades and played football. He was dark-haired and handsome, popular with his friends and doted on by his family.

But when his mother got divorced and moved to be near family in rural Scott County, Indiana, Coomer began running with a crowd there that abused prescription painkillers to get high. His weight dropped from 210 pounds to just 140 pounds (64 kg), he couldn’t work, and was constantly borrowing money.

One night last July, Coomer tried something new — Opana, a powerful opioid painkiller containing oxymorphone. He overdosed and died at the age of 24.

“It’s a nightmare every single day,” said his mother, Melissa Himmelheber, 43, who wiped away tears as she showed pictures of her lost son. “This is a family that was extremely close. now we’re just picking up the shattered pieces.”

Prescription drug abuse is the new scourge of rural America. It now leads to more deaths in the United States than heroin and cocaine combined, and rural residents are nearly twice as likely to overdose on pills than people in big cities, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

While methamphetamine addiction has long been associated with small towns, prescription painkillers have overtaken meth as the most abused drugs in places such as southern Indiana, according to local authorities.

Opana is the hot new prescription drug of abuse, sometimes with tragic consequences.

At least nine people have died so far this year from prescription drug overdoses in Scott County, Indiana. Most of the fatalities involved Opana, according to county coroner Kevin Collins.

Before 2011, only about 20 percent of the cases referred to the coroner were overdose deaths, and most of those were suicides rather than accidents. last year, prescription drug overdoses accounted for 19 deaths, or about half of all deaths referred to the coroner in this county of just 24,000 on the southern tip of Indiana, about 30 miles from Louisville, Kentucky.

“We’re seeing a lot of 25-year-olds who are dead for no apparent reason,” said Collins, who is so disheartened by the overdoses that it is one reason he won’t run for reelection in may.

Potent, deadly Law enforcement officials are alarmed by the rise of Opana abuse, which they said started after Oxycontin was changed in late 2010 to make that drug more difficult to snort or inject for a heroin-like high. Oxycontin is a brand of oxycodone.

Opana abuse can be deadly because it is more potent, per milligram, than Oxycontin, and users who are not familiar with how strong it is may be vulnerable to overdosing.

Opana, known by such street names as “stop signs,” “the O bomb,” and “new blues,” is crushed and either snorted or injected. Crushing defeats the pill’s “extended release” design, releasing the drug all at once.

“This Opana pill has really kicked us in the rear,” said Indiana State Police Sergeant Jerry Goodin. “We’ve never seen an addiction like this.”

Oxycontin’s new pills make it harder to crush them into a powder as they instead become gummy and cannot be readily snorted or injected. this drove abusers to switch to Opana or to generic, immediate-release forms of oxycodone, according to John Burke, president of the National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators. Drug abuse experts have also found an increase in heroin use.

Endo Pharmaceuticals, which produces Opana, announced in December that it would reformulate Opana. The new pill is being manufactured now.

The new formulation makes it difficult to crush and it turns viscous or “gooey” if an abuser tries to add liquid to it, said company spokesman Kevin Wiggins. When used properly, Opana is indicated for chronic low back and osteoarthritis pain, and cancer pain.

But the old form of Opana is still available, and pharmacy and home robberies are on the rise as addicts search for a way to get their fix, according to police.

“We’re pretty much consumed by it,” Shane McHenry, a detective with the Dearborn County Sheriff’s Department in southern Indiana, said of Opana. He said users who cannot afford Opana sometimes travel to Cincinnati to get heroin, which is cheaper in smaller amounts.

Fort Wayne, Indiana reported about 11 pharmacy robberies related to Opana since Endo announced the reformulation, according to Fort Wayne police spokeswoman Raquel Foster. The thief would hand the pharmacist a note, as in a bank robbery, threatening harm if Opana was not delivered.

Many sources The Opana problem has been reported by abuse experts around the country. In Florida, for example, the number of oxymorphone-related deaths rose to 493 in 2010, an increase of 109 percent from the previous year, according to Jim Hall, director of a drug abuse center at Nova Southeastern University in Florida.

Some users and dealers get painkillers from so-called “pill mills” — storefront pain clinics that sell drugs for cash up front, often to out of-state buyers who take them for resale.

But the other way users get pills is from their doctors, or by buying from seniors looking to supplement a fixed income. one Opana pill brings up to $90 on the street depending on dosage, so it is tempting to sell, said Scott County Sheriff Dan McClain.

A woman in her late 70s was arrested in Austin, Indiana for exchanging pills for work around her house, McClain said.

“Most of what I see is people with a prescription from their doctors and they need the money,” said Austin, Indiana Police Detective Lonnie Noble. He said the appetite for Opana is “more aggressive” than it was for Oxycontin.

Rural America finds new killer in drug Opana

In a Mass Media class I teach at Grand Rapids Community College, I have my students keep a media-use diary for one week. Not surprisingly, TV and the Internet come out clear winners, averaging about two hours per day each.

Then comes the harder assignment: Stay off the Internet for two days, or at least give it the old college try. again, not surprisingly, almost no one gives it up entirely. but those who cut way back report surprising benefits, such as more time spent reading, talking or just going outside to play.

You might think this discipline is uniquely applicable to young collegians, with their famous addiction to Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr. Not so. according to comScore.com, an information mine on the digital world, people aged 45 to 54 spent the most time online of any age group in 2010 – nearly 40 hours per month.

Even accounting for time spent on the job, that’s a lot of Googling. We’re either amusing ourselves to death, as Neil Postman put it, or working ourselves to death, whichever comes first.

What’s worse, kind of, is that age group along with 65-plus were the only demographics to increase their e-mail use last year, according to a new comScore report. Young adults’ e-mailing plunged by more than 30 percent, as they prefer to communicate via Facebook and texting. Not that youth have the corner on that trend: 50 percent of adults use Facebook or other social-networking sites, reports Pew Internet.

Bottom line: We are a wired people, and I’m not just talking Starbucks.

Which is OK by me, kind of. I use Facebook frequently to post interesting news stories and pictures of my cats, as well as catch up on what friends are doing and thinking. I’m not one to pooh-pooh the benefits of social networking, although I do wonder if Facebook CEO mark Zuckerberg’s true aim is world domination.

In a thoughtful commentary for Sojourners, the excellent evangelical writer Cathleen Falsani writes of finding on Facebook a “third place” of community, creating a kind of online church for friends to share sorrows and joys. I too have found Facebook a wonderful source of comfort and community at times.

Still, if one values one’s time, social media have the potential to waste vast quantities of it in pursuit of personal trivia. As Pamela Paul writes in The New York Times, “It’s as if we’re all trapped at a permanent reunion with everyone we ever bumped into at a street fair or waved to mistakenly in the cafeteria.”

Indeed, Internet surfing in general tends to lead one’s attention far afield in time and space. It’s easy to get lost in the infinite shopping mall of cyberspace. Sure, you can find interesting stuff there. but meanwhile, what are you thinking and feeling right now, where you physically are?

Which takes me back to my students’ Internet fast. It’s amazing the things they find out when they stop tapping their smart phones and pay attention to their actual surroundings.

Now of course I am not going to suggest giving up the Internet for Lent. in this day and age, that would be like asking people to give up food. oh wait, that’s what fasting is.

At the very least, Lent offers an opportunity to reflect on how we use our time, and what its quality is. what does it mean to be truly present? how am I feeling at this very moment? how open are my mind and spirit to communicating with the divine?

For me, prayer is not posting a status update to God. It’s slowing my mind down enough to focus on the blessings of this day, the people I am concerned about, and whatever promptings the source of all creation may have in store for me.

Truth be told, I usually don’t reach the state of prayerful awareness that I would like. but I certainly get a lot closer when I am quiet and still, as opposed to searching online for, say, the movie career of Susannah York. I must say I found out interesting things on that search about one of my favorite actresses. but it was merely interesting, not necessary.

What’s necessary is to be aware each day of my own search, for meaning, truth and right living. Tempting as the thought may be, I don’t think I’ll find that on Google.

If I can spend a little less than 40 hours this month online, and a little more with my own inner search engine, well then, that will be time well-spent.

Email: honeycharlesm@gmail.com; website: www.soulmailing.com

In this era of Facebook, Lent is full of opportunity to better yourself (column)

I think it would be fare to say that everyone has attempted to make a few changes in their life at one point or another. and, I’m willing to bet that you have as well. perhaps you’ve tried to overcome addiction, increase your self-esteem, eliminate your fears, achieve financial freedom, or attract love? In response to those common aspirations, many folks have turned to positive affirmations as a solution. However, I must confess, there has been a plethora of inaccurate and disingenuous information published regarding positive affirmations. Today, I’m going to cut through all the jargon and give you the straight and skinny. Bottom line, an affirmation is a tool. it can be an effective tool, but it is still just a tool nonetheless. and, if you attempt to use that tool without addressing your core fears and insecurities, you will fail Think of it like this. the affirmation is the tool or hammer. but, if you attempt to swing it with a broken arm, you won’t drive the nails home. Therefore, I’m going to show you how to build a strong arm so you can effectively swing the hammer. To accomplish this, I’m going to use a bit of an allegoric exercise.

You may recall the old SNL skit called Daily Affirmations that was performed by Al Franken, whereby he played a motivational, self-help character by the name of Stuart Smalley. the character was intended to be a spoof on individuals who are obsessed with twelve-step programs and become addicted to the actual act of going to therapy. Stuart became quite famous for directing folks to look in the mirror and affirm the following coined phrase I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it, people like me I’m going to take Stuart Smalley’s skit a bit further. for the sake of teaching you how to use affirmations effectively, let’s add a second mirror. OK So now we’ve got two mirrors. How about if we call the first (PAM) for positive affirmation mirror? and, let’s call the second (FEM) for fear and Ego Mirror.

OK Let’s begin the exercise by defining the goal. for this particular example, let’s pretend that you are attempting overcome personal identity and self-esteem issues. To get started with the exercise, I’d like you to walk over to (PAM) and look directly in the mirror. next, repeat the following affirmation three times:

I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it, people like me for who I am

To proceed, walk over to (FEM) and look directly into the mirror. As your gazing into your eyes, a voice suddenly emerges from the subconscious abyss. It’s your ego, and he’s by no means an optimist Immediately, he begins to pummel you with the following barrage of negativity:

You’re not good enough, you’re stupid, and doggone it, no one likes you because you’re a loser

OK now, head back over to (PAM) and repeat the following affirmation three times:

I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it, people like me for who I am

Next, walk back over to (FEM,) and get ready to brace yourself for the following:

You’re not good enough, you’re stupid, and doggone it, no one likes you because you’re a loser

Are you beginning to grasp the concept? this counterproductive cycle can be repeated indefinitely, and on some occasions it is, without dealing with (FEM) or the ego. At the end of the day, you can verbally affirm anything you’d like, but it won’t come to light if your subconscious, self-limiting beliefs are standing in the way. if you want to strengthen your arm, you must relinquish your fears and insecurities. You’ve got to take a course of action that is a direct and opposite response to the fear. for example, if you’ve been struggling with personal identity issues, you’ve probably spent most of your time pleasing others, often at your own peril. Basically, stop appeasing others and start pleasing yourself if you question your intelligence or worthiness, this is likely a result of the unfettered opinions of others. stop listening to such verbal garbage by kindly informing the guilty party or parties that it’s inappropriate. and moreover, tell them that you don’t really care what they think Truthfully, it only matters what you think

In summary, positive affirmations can be great tools, but there’s really no escaping the inner journey.

Affirmations For Addiction – How to Use Positive Affirmations

When Michael Jackson unexpectedly passed away last week, the world was stunned by the death of the fifty-year-old entertainer who left an indelible mark on pop culture. He was preparing for a world tour that was advertised as his fans’ last opportunity to see the King of Pop perform on stage. Whether motivated by a desire to sing again or by undeniable financial problems, the tour that would have brought hundreds of thousands into arenas will never happen. along with his amazing legacy of music and a sorted legal history, Michael Jackson also leaves behind an endless number of questions surrounding his unusual personality and life. what exactly was the cause of his death? an official pronouncement from the coroner has been postponed pending toxicology reports, but rumors are rampant concerning his addiction to prescription drugs and the courts want the opportunity to speak with his various doctors. Will we now learn more about the plastic surgeries and other alterations he chose to endure? Finally, there is a question that likely will be answered in a California courtroom over the weeks and months to come. what is to become of Michael Jackson’s children? In the middle of all of the chaos and media frenzy, I hope we all remember these three innocent participants in the family drama.

Michael Jackson leaves behind three children whose new home is yet to be determined-Prince Michael, age twelve, Paris Katherine, age eleven, and Prince Michael II (also known as Blanket), age seven. The first two kids are the product of his marriage with the former nurse for Mr. Jackson’s dermatologist, Debbie Rowe, which lasted from 1996 to 1999. Ms. Rowe originally gave up all custodial rights when the two terminated their marriage, but successfully appealed to have parental rights restored following Jackson’s arrest in 2003 on child molestation charges. The youngest boy was born to a surrogate mother who has never been identified. In fact, official documentation lists none in the space indicated for the birth mother. so, the California courts are left with two birth mothers who have had little or no contact with their children. what are the possible options at this point?

California law considers several issues when determining child custody cases, using the guiding factor of the best interest of the minor child as the overriding influence in such decisions. First, the courts examine the best environment for a child’s safety, health, and welfare. They also check for a history of physical abuse or violent crimes committed by any of the parties seeking to share in the custody. The stability and continuity of an environment is critical in the eyes of the court. Children need to have established bonds and patterns with the person who is deemed to be the primary caretaker. unless there are circumstances that require otherwise, such as specific health or educational needs, all efforts will be made to keep siblings living together. Finally, the court must give due weight to the wishes of the children in this difficult situation, assuming that their ages and reasoning ability allow them to express such a preference.

Earlier this week, Michael Jackson’s mother, Katherine Jackson, was granted temporary guardianship of all three children. In a will written by Michael Jackson in 2002 and released the day after Mrs. Jackson received temporary custody, the courts revealed that this placement was in accordance with Jackson’s last wishes. however, Mr. Jackson does not necessarily have the final say in where his children will live until they reach adulthood. The well-known celebrity attorney Gloria Allred said about the situation, if he did indicate a preference, that will be given great weight, but that will not be determinative. Children are not property, they cannot be willed to another person. so far, however, Katherine Jackson is the only possible guardian who has expressed an outright and definitive interest in caring for the children. she has a long-standing relationship with all three of the kids and is surrounded by other grandchildren of the Jackson family. This environment could prove the most stable and loving for Prince, Paris, and Prince Michael II. Charlotte Goldberg, a family law professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, said that in all child custody cases, It’s really a balance between continuity and stability and a biological relationship.

Where does the current state of affairs leave Debbie Rowe? Experts believe that she has the strongest legal claim to the two oldest children, if she should choose to assert her parental rights. As this article is being written, Ms. Rowe has just requested and won a delay in the upcoming custody hearing as she decides whether or not she wants to pursue her rights to raise her two children. This legal move today was the first communication that Ms. Rowe has offered since the death of Michael Jackson a week ago. if she does decide to move herself to the front of the custody line, which would likely be her legal prerogative, Ms. Rowe would need to undergo an evaluation by the court to determine if she is the best person to care for the children.

Whether a celebrity or someone who has never found herself on the cover of a tabloid magazine, the emotional issues involved with child custody situations are always difficult. above all else, it should the desire of the courts and all parties involved to make the decision that is in the best interest of the children. where will the children feel most secure and loved while working through a painful life transition? who is surrounded by the best support network when extra assistance is needed with the children? who can provide the most solid financial support? if you are seeking custody of precious children in your life whose circumstances are changing for reasons ranging from divorce to death, you should seek the assistance of a family law attorney who has the experience needed to be sensitive to the heightened emotions that are involved. if you also happen to be in the public eye, you will want to find legal representation that brings knowledge of how to navigate through the magnified issues of celebrity law. While it may be difficult to focus on these practical needs when you are caught up with tending to a family in pain, making these decisions early will make for an easier road ahead.

Upcoming Child Custody Battle Over Michael Jackson’s Children Provides Insight Into Delicate Issues