Twenty three years ago, when my wife and I opened our addiction treatment program, the Temecula Valley was awash in methamphetamine, and the general area had become famous as the methamphetamine production capital of the country. Meth manufacturer’s coveted the isolation, to secretively cook their deadly concoction. Its accessibility, purity, and cost brought many families to their knees with its negative consequences. Most of our methamphetamine patients presented with all the nasty symptoms of meth use: rotting teeth, skin sores, and weight loss.
The majority of today’s patients present with a completely different picture. They, typically, enter our office with a sweatshirt on, shivering from the cold but sweating like it’s 105 degrees. They twitch, shake, and stare at the floor. They are usually accompanied by their terrified parents who are baffled by the incredible changes that they’ve seen in their loved one. While their child folds into a fetal position, their parents describe how this all started, with a broken leg and vicodin, correctly prescribed for pain. Now it’s been a year, and their child has progressed to oxycontin (and heroin when they can’t get that). Their child’s brain has transformed during this year to accommodate the enormous quantities of opiates that flood their mu and kappa receptor sites daily. Their adult child’s brain has changed and is throwing every cell into a state of chaos as soon as the quantity of painkiller is reduced. Mom is usually sad and crying while Dad is angry. Both are terrified that they will lose their athletic, bright, loving kid to this mysterious seemingly self-induced illness. While the parents hang on every word I say, their child twitches and groans, seemingly oblivious to anything but the feelings that are ravaging their brain and body. They usually tell the story of a high-achieving family with a close bond that has seemingly dissolved into constant fighting and tears. Their child feels like they are going to die, haven’t slept in three days or eaten in five. Twenty pounds lighter, their skin is pale, mottled with goosebumps, ice cold, and clammy. They can’t stop thinking about that “oxy” or heroin that would make everything okay again. They’re terrified, too, that they’ll never get through these awful feelings of crawling skin and “ebby-jeebys”. They either can’t hear me or don’t believe it when I tell their parents that we can eliminate the withdrawals and return their child to normal with some medication and treatment.
This scenario repeats itself daily in our offices. Most people think heroin addicts are born of the streets of inner-city America. They don’t understand that our community is in the midst of an epidemic of addiction to both opiates (like vicodin, norco, oxycontin, and heroin) and benzodiazepines (like xanax).
For the xanax addict, the symptoms are similar, except that the pressing depression, is replaced with a constant surge of adrenaline that makes the person withdrawing, feel like they can’t breathe, eat, sleep, or concentrate, and panic attacks are constant. The big difference is that coming off of tranquilizers too fast can kill you, while opiates only make you feel like you’re dying. Seizures are often a part of this withdrawal pattern and can lead to cardiac arrest or strokes. Withdrawal needs to be monitored and very slow.
Local teens and young adults are using these drugs more commonly than any other and becoming physically addicted at alarming rates.
Heroin has never been cheaper nor more potent or accessible. Today’s youth tend to smoke it, until their dependence requires that they waste none, and they move to injecting. But few young people go straight to heroin. They begin by raiding their parents’ (or friends’) medicine cabinets or they try them at a party. However, once they’ve experienced the euphoria that follows, they are often in pursuit of repeat experiences.
There are few tell-tale signs, at first. Pupils will be constricted, they may scratch frequently and they may seem sleepy. As their use progresses, their job or grades may suffer, appearance becomes less important, and money begins to “disappear”. Their friends may change and they may seem increasingly irritable. Toward the end, they are just trying to not get sick and they will do ANYTHING not to feel that awful withdrawal.
The good news is that there is a new medicine that has raised the recovery rate from 10% to 90%. With good follow-up treatment and a medication called suboxone, most opiate abusers can be safely withdrawn and lead productive, clean, fulfilling lives. This new medication is the single best change that I have seen in my twenty-eight years treating addiction.
For the tranquilizer addict, the xanax has hijacked their gaba receptor sites and there is no new medication to eliminate the withdrawal syndrome. However, with strong medical support, a “slower is better” detox, and good treatment, they, too, can be returned to normalcy.
Unfortunately, public institutions like hospitals, courts, and schools often lack the knowledge to identify and aid prescription addicts. This can be incredibly dangerous for a xanax abuser to be incarcerated without medical assistance. Because they often become delusional, most law enforcement personnel assume that they must be “tweaking” on methamphetamine. An often fatal mistake.
If you doubt the scope of this epidemic, ask someone you know, between sixteen and twenty-eight, if they know anyone taking painkillers or zanbars. The answers will likely shock you.
It is time for our cities, county government, hospitals, schools, and treatment providers to recognize the depth and danger of this problem before we lose any more of our best and brightest young people to this powerful, seductive, pernicious addiction. These entities need to work together to create a safety net that identifies those involved and helps them to find their way back to their dreams.
Rocky Hill MA, NCAC II has been providing addiction treatment services to the Temecula Valley for twenty-four years. He has served on the Board of Directors of both Rancho Springs and Inland Valley hospitals. He is active with the court system, providing evaluations and expert witness testimony. Along with his wife Deb Hill RN, CARN and his daughter Erin Hill BA, they oversee a staff that offers intensive outpatient, day treatment, and residential care through Three Hills Ranch Residential Recovery. They have pioneered progressive treatment methods for opiate-addicted clients that minimize discomfort and maximize successful outcome.

Rocky Hill is the Executive Director and Certified Forensic Counselor for Hill Alcohol and Drug Treatment. His office number is (951) 676-8241, or view his website at www.hillrecovery.com.

The Lake Elsinore Chamber of Commerce recently hosted an EWDC Luncheon featuring an update with Southwest California City Managers. Held at the Diamond Club, the panel included Lake Elsinore CM Bob Brady; Canyon Lake CM Lori Moss; Temecula CM Shawn Nelson; Murrieta CM Rick Dudley; and Wildomar CFO Gary Nordquist.
Lake Elsinore City Manager Bob Brady crystallized the focus of the event—“Sharing Boundaries—Sharing Goals”. These cities do share more than boundaries, they all share a stake in the future success if this I-15 corridor. The goal is not to compete with one another (too much) but to bring appropriate economic and population growth to the area and to assure that residents continue to enjoy the secure and comfortable lifestyle the region is noted for. Despite the recent economic turmoil that has affected our region, the representatives were uniformly upbeat and positive about their cities and our region in general. Each Manager provided a brief overview of the demographics, current budget, and economic successes of their city.
I’ll try to summarize the highlights of the panel but more detailed information can be found at each city’s website. Speakers focused on the diversity as well as the similarity of challenges and opportunities of their city within the region. For example, while Wildomar has only been a city since last July, Lake Elsinore has been citified for 121 years. While Canyon Lake (pop. 11,657) approaches build-out with less than 5% of their buildable lots left vacant, Wildomar and Lake Elsinore still have plenty of room to expand. The recently completed Lake Elsinore General Plan charts a growth curve from their current 50,267 residents to nearly 135,000. Temecula (pop. 102,604) and Murrieta (pop. 100,714) are both planning to top-out closer to 125,000.
Panelists also discussed the challenges posed by declining city revenues. Our cities have experienced reductions of anywhere from 20% to 25% over the past two years as a result of property and sales tax losses. A measure of the financial strength of our cities is best illustrated by the fact that they are managing to maintain services to residents while avoiding significant lay-offs. As Canyon Lake’s Moss summarized, “We’ve still got our reserves, we’re maintaining our services, but we need to hunker down for a couple more years while preparing for the inevitable growth to follow.”
Managers noted that the slow-down in commercial development funding has resulted in some local projects being funded by private money as a stop-gap until the financial community starts playing again. This indicates a high level of optimism in the future of this region. In addition to the continued commercial expansions, each city has also benefited to a greater or lesser degree from federal stimulus dollars. Depending on their source, these funds have helped eliminate the need for staff cuts, helped complete major projects already underway, or have allowed smaller proj e c t s to be planned and built. None are counting on continued federal largesse, each is fervently hoping their reserves don’t get raided by the state.
Each city empha s iz ed some silver lining in the economic clouds. Canyon Lake claims to remain the safest city in the county. CM Dudley quoted a recent FBI report showing Murrieta as the 2nd safest city in California. The CM’s also referred to our strong school districts, which routinely outperform the California average, as a magnet for young families, more housing, and more jobs. CM Nelson pointed out the ongoing city-funded development in Old Town Temecula and noted that the public improvements have led to an additional $22 million in private development in the surrounding area—a boon for both residents and visiting tourists. Tourism dollars remain a strong contributor to the region’s economy with every city angling for ways to attract more out-of-area dollars to the budget.
rrent housing statistics. Battered by record foreclosures and 50% to 60% drops in median price homes, they are encouraged by the recent spate of buying activity. Recent statistics show that in the first quarter of this year the number of buyers coming into the market has absorbed excess housing inventory, stabilized prices, and led to unprecedented numbers of well-qualified and first-time homebuyers entering the market, driving the percentage of owner-occupied homes to a record 89% of total.
After fielding a number of questions from the capacity crowd, Murrieta’s Dudley closed the discussion with a jab at a recent LA Times article entitled “Murrieta—The Fading American Dream”. “If award-winning schools, safe communities, expanded healthcare facilities, new commercial construction, well-run cities with reserves, and a surplus of new and affordable housing in a beautiful smog-free climate means the dream is fading, then I can only hope the rest of California—and the rest of the country—fades right along with us.” Amen to that.

It’s mellow, it’s fun, it’s warm and inviting. It’s the Champagne Jazz Series at Thornton Winery, going on now through October 11 and offering concertgoers a superb lineup of top-notch musicians and, of course, perfectly paired wines and champagne. Every weekend offers a choice of open seating or reservations for dinner in the cool patio of the winery.
John and Sally Thornton, along with their son Steve run the winery that just celebrated its 20th year in operation. And only a couple years after opening, started winning wine awards throughout California.
The winery is situated on 20 acres along Rancho California Road and is one of the few wineries that makes their own champagne, hence the title for the jazz series and the café by the same name.
According to Champagne Jazz Manager Tonya Wake, about 650 people usually attend a performance. Some come from San Diego, Los Angeles, Palm Springs, and even other states, such as Arizona.
“The concerts come across as small and quaint,” said Tonya. “It’s outdoors, which people like, and the venue allows them to feel like they are a part of a great event. Some say it’s the perfect size because they can sit close enough to see the performers smile. The intimate and acoustically superb Mediterranean fountain terrace, overlooking the beautiful Temecula Wine Country, offers a memorable and unique concert experience unmatched in Southern California.”
A special Gourmet Supper Package, prepared by the award-winning Café Champagne, is available during each performance. The package includes a reserved table under a covered patio, a three-course gourmet meal, tax and gratuity. Early reservations are highly recommended, as seating is limited.
A selection of Thornton Sparkling and Premium Varietal Wines, assorted beverages, bottled water, and freshly prepared items from the outdoor Jazz Grill will also be available for purchase before and during the concerts. General admission seating is available in rows of concert-style seats as well as a limited number of small tables for four on a first-come-first-serve basis. Season tickets, which offer reserved seating and parking, are also available. All tickets include a commemorative 2009 Champagne Jazz Series glass.
The July line up includes these performances:
DAVE KOZ & BRIAN CULBERTSON, Sunday, July 12, 5pm with Special Guest Peabo Bryson.
FOURPLAY, Sunday, July 19, 5pm, Bob James, Nathan East, Larry Carlton & Harvey Mason; General Admission tickets $65.00.
BONEY JAMES, Saturday, July 25, 7pm; General Admission tickets, Open Seating $75.00.
“This is our 21st year of Smooth Jazz concerts at the winery,” said John Thornton. “My wife, Sally, our son, Steve, and I enjoy sharing these concerts with our guest and friends. It’s like having a party in the backyard and enjoying some of the best artists in the world in this category of music along with fabulous food and wine in beautiful surroundings. Come join us!”

Thornton Winery is located at 32575 Rancho California Road, Temecula, CA 92589, or call for tickets: (951) 699-0099.