When you hear the term "drug abuse", parents and grandparents don't usually come to mind.

But apparently they are the new group of addicts. Some baby boomers have continued their drug habits since the 60's, but many adults are trying out illegal substances for the first time.

In the past few years, health leaders in Marathon County have seen more adults seeking help for their drug addictions. They believe stress is the main reason for this illegal habit.

Sue Nowak is a Drug Prevention Specialist at North Central Health Center. She says, "It is the way society is, the stressors that we have in society. You get people that possibly are retiring or losing their jobs and they don't feel as valued as they did before. So there are a lot of mental health issues that can go into why they are abusing different medications."

The study shows that heroin, cocaine, and marijuana are the drugs of choice in our area and adults have easy access to both. They say the drug abuse will only continue if these adults don't get help. If you know someone who may have a drug problem, call an alcohol or drug facility to learn how to help.