if you overheard "here say" talk about "H" from teenagers but have no grounds of accuracy or know if it has any truth to it, should you at least report it to the local police?

I would! Let the police investigate it, and if it is not factual, no big deal. Anything that can be done to limit the heroin in our community is a positive step.

To clarify my "no big deal" statement. While I understand that the police department would need to spend time on the claim, I am sure they would rather find out there is not an issue than to find out too late, ie the death of a teen.

My son was telling me about the heroin problem in Newlenox. It is here and is THE most dangerous drug there is. There are kids who do recognize the danger and stay clear of it . I asked him where he thought it was coming from and he told me from out west like Morris and those areas. The cops around here should spend more time investigating how it is getting here rather than setting up speed traps and running plates all over town. The low hanging fruit is easy, how about some real police work?

Recently a friend of mine's daughter passed away, she was a student at an out of state college. Newspaper reports stated that the cause of death was an 'accidental overdose of cocaine and heroin'. The young lady was an honor student and was completing college after 3 years. She had her whole life ahead of her. I do not know the full details of what happened, but that is the reality of this situation, death. I can never image having to bury my own child.

My wifes friend from high school overdosed over the weekend from heroin ! It's a reality and it closers then you think!! Time are tough and these dealers don't care who they sell too!! Ita all about a profit to these dealers!! Police and parents need to be educating our kids!! Government should have more funding for after school programs not only in urban cities but also in the suburbs!!!

Can someone tell me why there are 3 tobacco stores right next to each
other on 183rd & 80th Ave?? Think they might be selling more than cigarettes? Just asking why TP thought there was a need for that many tobacco stores next to each other in the same area? Seems a little odd to me.

My younger brother is a heroin addict. I know he frequents places like Harvey and the westside of Chicago to get his fix. And yes, the dealer's are ruthless. They will go as far as giving out free samples of heroin (yes really, free samples) because all it takes is one time to get hooked. Then they know they'll have your business after that.

My sister was a heroin addict....She died 2 weeks ago. This drug is BEYOND dangerous and everyone should be aware of this. I would hate for other families to feel the way that I & the rest of my family feels...It is the worst feeling thus far I have ever experienced. Please eduate your kids! & what they say is true, all it takes is one time for someone to "try" and you are hooked. Dont put yourself through what my family is going through. Life is way to precious.

My kids have also told me about the rise of teen heroin use in New Lenox. They told me these kids are using in public, even... Parks, the New Lenox Commons, in parking lots. My brother was a heroin and crack addict, he got all his drugs from the East side of Joliet. That;'s pretty close to New Lenox, so not a far fetched guess that it could be coming from there. Or some kid has a sleezy older brother (just an example) who is buying it and bringing it into town and reselling to the teens. It is the most frightening thing to watch a loved one throw away their life to use heroin, and worse to watch them OD on it. It not only hurts their own life, but the people, especially children (younger brotherts, sisters, neices, nephews, etc) around them. I am confident that if we keep talking to our kids, and if we take their claims seriously, and REPORT it to the police, eventually we can cut down on this rising deadly problem!

There is alot more that remains unsaid about the heroin epidemic..i graduated from lincoln-way last year and know first hand what its like to loose a loved one from that terrible drug..alot of the kids i used to surround myself with sophmore year are either hooked or hopelessly trying to recover from heroin. The big issue is what got them to try it, most of the kids i know were what highschoolers would call a "barr-tard" which means they take alot of xanex bars which are also very easy to get around here. Most of the kids relized their tolerance for xanex was growing so strong they were taking up to 4 bars just to feel "ok" and get through the school day. Most of the xanex was coming from kids in mokena, which is also where most of the kids i know using heroin in frankfort found their connects to it. I know alot of girls my age who were once so in love with xanex and all it took was one person to offer them heroin when they were barred out, and that was it..from that point on it was heroin and xanex, a mixture they call "cheese" or something like that..and now snorting it isnt enough and they all shoot up. im open with my parents and i think being open with your children about your mistakes and the mistakes of people you know is the only way kids will truely get educated on issues like heroin and prescription drugs. an open relationship is an honest one, and parents need to watch for signs of their kids pulling away and act before its too late and their burrying a child.

look no further than the 7-11 on 191st.. that is one of the sources.. get a slurpee on the night shift and ask for a dime bag when you check out

I agree cops need to do real police work. Instead of speed traps seat belt traps. They worry more about there money then the public like there sworn to do. New Lenox is on decline and cops are making it that way.

This came out of nowhere. If you think logically (if there's any logic to be found in regards to substance abuse), the progression of a collective people's drug habit could be characterized on average as moving from drugs of low intensity (i.e. Cannabis, etc.) to high-intensity drugs such as heroin by passing through substances of moderate severity in between. In short, it would seem most understandable that people would go from pot to pills to coke to crack to heroin or whatever. But what's so anomalous about New Lenox is that I feel like my peers have jumped from one extreme to the other without taking those intermediate steps. I finished up at Liberty JHS in 2009 and am now going into my senior year at LWW and so I've seen this rushed progression take place. It's really just baffling, honestly. But if there's one thing I can say with certainty, it is that the schools are doing everything in their power to steer the kids away from substance abuse. Maybe it's the cops, maybe it's the parents, but one entity that isn't to blame is the schooling.

The cops aren't to blame. It's hard to keep up with drug dealers. I'm from new Lenox and I'm 18. I've been offered it so many times. It's too easy to get this Stupid drug. Kids around here can easily lay their hands on it if they know a dealer. If u know a weed dealer out here, you bet they'll know other dealers that can get it for them. Or even coke. Most people that have done it first tried it thinking they were doing coke bc they look similar. it's just too easy.

As the youth (lmao) points out... the criminality need to be taken out. Weed needs to be sold at stores with a license like beer, not in playgrounds...
For those who wonder why or how here is a free sample line
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAqO80zM5t4

It isn't that the cops are to blame, it is just that it seems like in New Lenox, the police are more interested in revenue from tickets and DUI's rather than going to the neighborhoods and getting to know the kids that live there. As a long time resident, I have never seen one cop in this town take the time to step out of a car to talk to kids other than to issue warnings and tickets. New Lenox Mayor and police chief need to wake up and get the local cops to become more a part of the town other than issuing tickets and DUI's. Create more things for the youth to do in this town and educate the town more on this horrible epidemic. Yes, parents are the first step but even the best parents need help from the local police. I would like to see the police have more of a positive influence in the community like the police I remember growing up. They actually knew us by our names. I am sure the police would find out a lot more information from the youth if they were viewed as friendly and caring.

A friend of mine at Stateville Prison OD'd on heroin. You'd think being in jail a person would not have access to drugs but they do at Stateville! The Warden's there need to check their own......... Correctional Officers! THAT'S how the drugs and other contraband are getting into Stateville. My friend told me that quite a few of the CO's are former (or current) gang-bangers! How the heck do criminals get State jobs as CO's? It's a travesty what goes on there as well!