Treatment experts report illegal drug use in the area has dramatically increased over the last five years.
In an effort to bring attention to the problem, the Midland Area Partnership for Drug-Free Youth put together a TV show about the issue. The organization says it's seen some startling trends in a historically quiet community.
Inside the studios at Midland Community Television, the October edition of the Operation Medicine Cabinet Show focused on a growing problem.
"From a law enforcement perspective, it's almost to epidemic proportions, and I've been saying that for the last three or four years," Midland County Sheriff Jerry Nielsen said.
"The more we talked, the more people began to say what's that about? Not in Midland, that is not true," said Holli Carter from the 1016 Recovery Network.
Carter works at a Midland treatment facility and says the numbers don't lie. "Opiate use, prescription drugs and heroin have tripled in Midland County since 2006."
Carter says opiates include OxyContin and Vicodin. "They're experimenting with prescription drugs, what's in the (medicine) cabinet at home."
Carter adds illegal drug use has changed, and so have the users. "It's younger and younger. We're treating a lot of 18 to 23 year olds."
This panel also focused in on why that same age group is increasingly turning to an extremely addictive illegal drug.
"Heroin is actually a cheaper method, and it's easier to get than the prescription drugs, but it provides the same high," Nielsen said.
Panelists agree those startling trends need quick action.
"Best methodology for the people at home is to monitor this and not assume that their kids not doing anything wrong," 42nd Circuit Court Judge Mike Beale said.
Judge Beale says parents and the court system can be part of the solution.
During the show's taping, the panel talked problems and solutions.
"I see it being a win-win situation because we're going to start taking control getting those people off those drugs," Nielsen said.
That win-win is Midland County's new drug court.
"What it does is it brings the long arm of the law and treatment together," Carter explained.
Beale will head up drug court starting next month. On the bench Beale sees many 18-25 year olds who got addicted to opiates like Vicodin and OxyContin after taking them from their parent or grandparent's medicine cabinet. "They share it because they think it's a prescription drug, it must not be bad. And, unfortunately, it has all the same characteristics as a heroin, just in a pill form."
Beale hopes drug court can save those users through a lengthy rehabilitation program instead of locking them up.
"They're much more successful than the traditional criminal justice system, but still, because of the nature of the people you're dealing with, it's not 100 percent."
In order to take part in drug court, offenders have to plead guilty to their charge.
If they are kicked out of the program, defendants will then face a judge for sentencing.
The show taped Wednesday, September 22, will begin airing in October on Wednesday nights at 8 p.m. It will be on MCTV, which airs on channel 99 on Charter Cable in the Midland area.
