State’s Attorney Glasgow Urges Parents to Communicate with Their Kids in Continuing Effort to Curb Opioid Addiction

April 12, 2019

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow spoke recently with parents attending a “Wake-Up Call” event at Joliet West High School.  The event featured a life-size exhibit of a teen’s bedroom containing more than 20 red flags that can signal drug or alcohol use. The exhibit identified spots where teens may hide drugs as well as household items that can be used to hid drugs and paraphernalia, and highlighted ways in which teens may attempt to try to cover up drug and alcohol use

Glasgow explained how items created for the purpose of hiding illicit drugs – such as a water bottle with a hollow center behind the label – are easily available for purchase on line. “When you walk in your child’s room, everything may look just fine to you — but what seem to be everyday items such as toiletries or room décor can in fact have hidden compartments to conceal illicit drugs and other paraphernalia,” Glasgow said. “Through the internet, you can buy a clone of virtually every household product with a hidden compartment.  As the owner of the household, you have a right to search your child’s room.  We need to do everything we can to prevent addiction to opioids and other drugs.

“Illicit drugs can be hidden in plain sight.  Too many precious lives are being lost every year to the opioid epidemic. That is why it is so important to stay alert and a step ahead in working to keep our kids safe.”

State’s Attorney Glasgow was a co-sponsor of the event, which was presented through the Will County Health Department’s “Youth Experiencing Success in Schools” (YESS) program. The YESS program provides mental health and other services to high school students. State’s Attorney Glasgow is one of the YESS program founders and has been involved in the program since the program’s inception. The State’s Attorney’s Office contributed $10,000 in emergency funding to the program in 2015 through the use of forfeiture funds, which is money seized from offenders who were using it to engage in criminal enterprises