Pubdate: Tue, 23 Jan 2007
Source: Clarion News, The (PA)
Copyright: 2007 The Clarion News
Contact:  http://www2.theclarionnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4402
Author: Pam Huffman, Clarion News writer

STUDENTS SEE FACE, HEAR MESSAGE FROM FORMER HEROIN ABUSER

CLARION - "Don't make the same mistakes I made," said the young woman 
in a video presentation to juniors and seniors students at North 
Clarion High School .

She is an attractive girl, speaks intelligently and could be their 
classmate, their next door neighbor or even their friend. The 
difference is she is in a prison uniform, locked behind a cell door 
for drug offenses instead of enjoying her youth.

The 19-year-old former Union High School student isn't an anonymous 
face warning students about the dangers of drug abuse, she is real, 
she is from Clarion County , and her story is becoming a frightening reality.

Clarion County District Attorney Mark Aaron is taking a stand, a 
crusade if you will, against the use of heroin and other drugs and 
taking "Janet's Story" on the road to local schools, delivering a 
strong message - Don't do drugs.

"Our caseload is starting to be dominated by heroin usage," said 
Aaron. Last year in Clarion County, approximately 60 people pleaded 
guilty to or were convicted of manufactured delivery or possession 
with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance.

Aaron said if the use continues, there will be a tremendous drain on 
the community and the criminal system. "It is important for my office 
to do everything we can to prosecute dealers and drug offenders," 
said Aaron, who explained heroin is different than other drugs as 
heroin on the street is 98 percent pure and very addictive.

"People who get involved with heroin end up in jail, rehab or dead," 
said Aaron.

"Janet's Story" is approximately 25-minutes long and told by Janet, a 
former heroin addict serving time in a state prison. The documentary 
was filmed five months after Janet was arrested.

"The program is completely non-profit," said Aaron. "Janet 
volunteered to do this to help people. The difference between when 
she went to jail and when we made the video was dramatic. It's hard 
to describe the mannerisms and demeanor of a person on heroin."

Heroin users are often extra violent, suffering from withdrawal. 
Aaron said she would not have been able to do the video when she 
first went to jail.

"When you look at her you wouldn't think of her as someone who is 
addicted to drugs, said Aaron. "She is a pretty intelligent, attractive girl."

Produced by David Hawk, the video is shown in conjunction with "Faces 
of Meth," a very real depiction of the physical affects of using 
methamphetamines.

"The purpose is to give the information to prevent them from losing 
their life to heroin," said Aaron.

Janet's story

Janet said her reason for making the video was simple, "So nobody 
makes the same mistake I did."

At the age of 12, Janet was your typical seventh-grader, hanging out 
with friends, going to dances, participated in sports and went to 
swimming camps. You would never think the normal high school girl 
would soon nosedive into a world of stealing and drug dealers and 
finally  jail.

When an 18-year-old boy asked her out, she thought she was special. 
Having always looked older than her years, nobody questioned when she 
went to parties, drinking and having fun.

"I drank here and there...just because everybody else was doing it," 
said Janet in the video.

Innocent enough as it was, the drinking led to experimentation with 
marijuana. Janet never thought she would be a drug user.

According to Aaron, "weed" is a gateway drug, leading to use of harder drugs.

"I ended up doing everything. I used them all," said Janet.

When the marijuana wasn't doing the trick anymore, Janet turned to 
pain pills, Oxycotin specifically.

"It took away all the feeling and pain and I didn't worry about 
anything," said Janet.

After a year, Janet made the small step to heroin. "It (Oxycotin) 
just wasn't enough," said Janet, adding, "heroin was cheaper."

Aaron explained Oxycotin is available on the street for $1 per 
milligram, $80 for an 80-milligram tablet. Heroin, which is commonly 
sold in "stamp bags," are typically $7 a bag in large cities but in 
Clarion County sell for $30.

Janet said she wouldn't have been around drugs if she hadn't been 
around the wrong people. Following her first heroin experience Janet 
was so high, she was sick.

"I was puking I was so high," said Janet.

Heroin quickly became a daily habit with all her "friends" using. 
None of them thought they had a problem.

"I never thought about becoming addicted to drugs, I just wanted to 
get high," said Janet.

Without the daily heroin fix, Janet found she was sick, mean, violent 
and felt very ill -- shivering so much she couldn't even take a shower.

"I didn't have any energy until I got another pack," said Janet and 
the cycle started over again.

Janet thought she could walk away from the drug but never succeeded. 
The price of addiction was getting higher and her job wasn't covering 
the price so she turned to stealing. Janet, who once looked at her 
friends who stole from her to buy drugs as losers, was now the one 
stealing from her friends.

Eventually she just stopped going to school, making up excuses from 
her mother and doctor. She was expelled four months before graduation 
and does not have a high school diploma.

Janet moved in with her boyfriend of six years, both of whom were 
addicted to drugs and couldn't pay their bills. More than half their 
paycheck was owed to their dealer. When the dealer started giving her 
attention and free drugs, she left her boyfriend and moved in with 
the dealer who was seven years older than Janet. Two months later 
their house was raided and both were arrested.

"It was the scariest thing I'd ever been through. It was like there 
was an army in the house with guns pointed at our heads," said Janet.

Despite this experience, Janet's drug use continued as did her 
relationship with her dealer. Janet tried to smuggle heroin into the 
jail for him. When she attempted a second time to smuggle in the 
drugs she was arrested for felony charges. She was later sent from 
the Clarion County Corrections Facility to a state prison, where she 
is serving two to four years.

"I shouldn't be here, I made some bad decisions," said Janet. "This 
is the last place I expected to be at 19. I was very stupid. I can't 
believe how stupid I was."

Janet said her family cannot believe their little girl is sitting in 
jail. "They are so disappointed but they care about me and love me," 
said Janet. "They will stick with me."

Now that she is clean, Janet has a whole new perspective on life. "I 
want to change my life," said Janet.

She now knows her "friends" weren't friends.  "They asked me to do 
heroin, they are not a friend," she said.

She is begging other youth her age to listen to her story.

"Please, don't make the same mistake I did," said Janet. "The first 
fix is the beginning of a long, miserable nightmare."

Delivering the message

Aaron emphasizes to students during the program that the person in 
the video is real and it could be them.

Youth are graduating high school and going out into the world and 
their parents won't be there to watch over their shoulders anymore. 
It's not isolated to the big cities, even if graduates stay in 
Clarion County , these types of drugs are readily available.

"They need to make the decision beforehand not to engage in this type 
of behavior," said Aaron. "No matter what influences surround you, it 
is your decision."

According to John Maddy, assistant principal at Keystone High School 
, students were quiet and reserved after the program."

"I did speak with three students and they were deeply moved by it," 
said Maddy. "They thought it was a very good program. I can tell it 
had an impact on them."

These students knew the Janet in the video and were well aware of the 
impact of drugs had on her.

"Everyone has heard drugs are bad, have been hearing it their whole 
lives," said Maddy. "For most kids, that's effective. This is one 
more avenue and if it has a positive impact on one student's life 
than it is worth it."

Steve Dobransky, Redbank Valley High School principal, said the 
program was very well received by students.

"It was a pretty graphic depiction of what happens with heroin and 
meth use," said Dobransky.

Dobransky said his concern is students have to make these decisions 
younger and younger.

Michael Drzewiecki, high school principal at Clarion-Limestone also 
felt the program had a bigger impact coming straight from the 
district attorney.

Drzewiecki said Aaron, a C-L graduate, has been to C-L for the last 
two years with presentations on anti-drug use, both of which were 
well received.

"I think it has a very positive impact on the school, as a high 
school principal I really appreciate that the DA's office gets 
involved in it," Drzewiecki said, adding he would like to see a 
revised program presented to younger students at the elementary level.

"I think it's just one other approach that we have promoting 
anti-drug use," said Drzewiecki. "There is a serious issue, not just 
at C-L, it's all districts. It's a societal issue that needs to be addressed."

In the presentations to students, Aaron makes it clear that people 
like Janet aren't from New York , or Miami or Los Angeles .

"They are people right here in our community," said Aaron.

At North Clarion, students not only had the opportunity to hear 
Janet's story, but were face-to-face with another county resident 
serving time in Clarion County .

Kayla, a 21-year-old from New Bethlehem, also shared her story with students.

Her story is similar to Janet's and like Janet hopes by telling her 
story it will prevent other students from making the same mistakes.

"I did things to feel a part of the crowd, even though I knew it was 
wrong," said Kayla, who described herself as a loner. "They were 
having fun. I went against all my morals - it was just alcohol and pot."

On July 20, 2006 , Kayla was arrested for drug possession, at which 
point she was doing 25 bags of heroin a day. She is serving a 
nine-month sentence. She feels lucky to still be alive and feels 
talking to students will fulfill her purpose of being alive today.

"There are people to talk to. I did not know how to deal with life," 
said Kayla. "You do not have to do drugs. If nobody tells you today 
they love you, I'm here to tell you, 'I love you.'"

Aaron told students people addicted to drugs fight that addiction or 
are in a rehabilitation facility for the rest of their lives.

"She's (Kayla) here so you don't have to face that," said Aaron.

Prevention is key and parents need to be aware of their children's activities.

"Parents should be looking for unexplained trips to Pittsburgh ," said Aaron.

Also look for large amounts of money and any types of erratic behavior.

"You need to investigate promptly because it isn't something that 
develops over years - it's months, weeks - maybe an addiction is 
already started."

Aaron emphasizes to students he isn't there as an authority figure 
from the district attorney's office.

"We are tired of seeing young people ruin their lives or lose their 
lives using heroin," said Aaron. "That's why we're there. If it stops 
one, it's worth it."
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