Janice in Wonderland Published Oct. 26, 2011 By Laura McGowan 88 Air Base Wing Public Affairs Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio -- Red Ribbon Week promotes drug awareness and prevention, and the Department of Defense established this week in 1990 as a campaign to honor Enrique Camarena, a Drug Enforcement Agent who was murdered by drug traffickers in Mexico, 1985. Almost all of us know someone who's been drawn into the world of drugs. Friends, relatives, or acquaintances, they seem to be drawn into the endless smorgasbord of escape. There're prescription pain killers, cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamines, crack, spice, bath salts, phencyclidine or PCP as it's better known, and much more. For my niece, Janice, her drug of choice was crack cocaine. Crack knows no strangers. Once you become its friend, you're friends for life. Janice became friends with crack at a young age. She loved to walk on the edge; it seemed to bring her a sort of satisfaction that she somehow cheated death for another day. She wasn't always a drug addict. In fact, as kids, I, my younger sister and Janice's twin sisters used to practice singing our made-up songs, because we were going to be a famous singing group--like the Supremes! We had lots of fun charging our older sisters, moms and dads nickels, dimes and quarters to come to our "concerts". Then of course we used the money to buy candy so we could keep up our strength to practice long hours. When I left Evanston, Illinois to join the Air Force in 1976, Janice was a beautiful young lady, a few years younger than me. She had already started her experimentation with drugs. I would talk to her periodically to see if there was anything I could do to help her escape her downward spiraling pattern. She insisted that she was okay, and that I, in fact, should not knock it unless I tried it myself. NOT! To me it was simple, but to her, not so much. At times, trying to save Janice from herself was like trying to steer a grocery cart with a crooked wheel that kept going off to the right or left instead of straight. But I tried still. However, after years of looking for something to calm her demons, she never stopped chasing that rabbit further and further down the hole, looking for Wonderland. Janice died in 1989, leaving behind a small son, and aunts and family members wondering what more we could have done to help. . If you know someone or you are that someone yourself looking for wonderland in the drugs that are available, please know that there is help for you. For active duty military, dependents and Tri-Care beneficiaries, contact the Alcohol and Drug Abuse and Prevention office at, 937-257-4121. If the member does not want to call on base, they can call Military One Source at 1-800-342-9647. For non-active duty members or dependents in Greene County, call The Community Network Behavioral Healthcare at, 937-376-8600. Mental health service for Montgomery County is 937-443-0416. Lastly, talk to your children about drugs and prevention. There is no Wonderland in a bottle or syringe.