Pubdate: Tue, 09 Oct 2007
Source: Lubbock Avalanche-Journal (TX)
Copyright: 2007 The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
Contact:  http://www.lubbockonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/841
Author: Marlena Hartz
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)

COMMUNITY URGED TO HELP BATTLE NEW DEADLY DRUG

A Dallas man warned community members Monday of a heroin and 
over-the-counter drug mixture that is used by youths as young as 10 
and is associated with 24 recent Dallas area deaths.

"This drug is beginning to branch out," he told an audience of about 
60 people who listened to him at Estacado High School.

One person has been arrested in association with the drug in Lubbock 
and four local cheez addicts have sought treatment, Quintanilla said.

Cheez is made by mixing black tar heroin with an over-the-counter 
allergy or headache medicine, most commonly Tylenol PM, Quintanilla said.

It resembles Parmesan cheez and is snorted.

A hit costs $2, he said.

Often, he has found in the Dallas area, students will hide the 
mixture in textbooks, pockets, backpacks and notebook papers folded 
to resemble notes.

"We see kids everyday falling," he said.

"If we can send a message to Lubbock, to Corpus Christi, that this 
drug has the potential to decimate a community, to kill the future of 
a community, it's worth coming out to talk to you," he said.

Lubbock mother of four Sandy Reyes had never heard of cheez, like 
many others who attended Monday's presentation, which was organized 
by the founder of Lubbock Citizens for Progress, Armando Gonzales.

But her teenage son, Joseph, had.

Parents, such as Reyes, said Monday they were glad to know more about the drug.

"I wanted to be here to get information," said Lubbock grandparent 
and pastor Ruben Caro, who also attended Monday's presentation.

One key to the fight against cheez heroin is prevention, said 
Quintanilla, as he urged community members to form a task force 
against this and other drugs.

"It's kind of like Noah," said Lubbock County Commissioner Ysidro 
Gutierrez of Precinct 3, comparing the fight against this new type of 
heroin with the Bible's Noah, who built an ark in spite of his 
neighbors' perceptions.

"Will we ignore the warning here in Lubbock?" Gutierrez said.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman