Voice of the Victims

Meth Dealers Targeting Kids With New Drugs

2008-10-15T14:17:00.000-07:00

Meth dealers really don't care if they kill your kids - even your elementary school kids - because it's all a soulless search for money for them. Just how horrifying these meth dealers are is evidenced by two new drugs, Cheese and Strawberry Quick.

Strawberry Quick looks like strawberry pop rocks (the candy that sizzles and 'pops' in your mouth). It also smells like strawberry and it is being handed out to kids in school yards. But it's a mixture of meth and Kool Aid, according to Fox News.

Kids are ingesting this concoction thinking that it is candy and many of them end up being rushed off to the hospital in dire condition. And all of them get a taste of drugs at an early age, which just shouldn't happen.

It also comes in chocolate, peanut butter, cola, cherry, grape and orange.

Cheese, if anything, is even worse, according to Fox, which says:

Something called “cheese” is killing kids. In August of 2005, no one had even heard of it — so much so, that when a school district police officer first saw a bag of this drug, he thought it was fake. Now officials realize cheese is all too real; at least 21 kids have died from overdosing on it.

Cheese is a combination of black tar heroin and crushed up Tylenol PM tablets and hits of it sell for a buck or two. Like any type of heroin, cheese is highly addictive and deadly. If that’s not enough to scare you, there’s this: drug pushers cooked it up special for kids.

“Traditionally heroin is going to be an adult user drug,” says Dallas Independent School District Officer Jeremy Liebbe. “Black tar heroin is cooked on a spoon, mixed with liquid and injected. Meaning needles. Not many kids are wild about needles, so if you want to market heroin to kids you've got to come up with an alternative to it.”

I know you probably never thought you'd have to warn your elementary school kids about drugs, but those days are over. Let them see these pictures, and tell them what these incredibly bad people are trying to do to them. Tell them that if they see these drugs in their schools to immediately tell their friends they're dangerous, and run tell a teacher!

Strong Energy Drinks Claim A Fatality

2008-05-23T12:08:00.000-07:00

Almost every day, people come to my blog to read an old post on Red Line, which I posted after a friend got very sick after drinking the very strong chemical stew posing as an "energy drink."

Many visitors leave comments claiming that the drink poses no danger at all. Perhaps they should consider this news story, which was left in a comment posted on my earlier Red Line post:

Wellington teen dies after consuming alcohol, energy drinks

By Leon Fooksman, Luis F. Perez and Lia Lehrer
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
8:44 AM EDT, May 21, 2008

A 16-year-old Wellington student died over the weekend after attending a party where alcohol was consumed, Palm Beach County sheriff's investigators said.

Paramedics who tried to resuscitate Ashley Ramnauth on Sunday found alcohol in her system, sheriff's spokeswoman Teri Barbera said.

Ramnauth was a Lake Worth High School honor roll student and the daughter of Hollywood Police Officer Hansman Ramnauth.

She "apparently made a bad decision to consume energy drinks and alcohol in combination," according to a statement from her family released Tuesday through the Palm Beach County School District. She "did not have a lot of experience with alcohol and did not have a known problem with alcohol," the family added

...In March, paramedics took four Weston schoolboys to a hospital after they became ill from drinking an "energy-boosting" liquid not meant for children, authorities said. The boys were sweating and suffering from increased heart rates and lightheadedness. They drank Redline, a combination fat-burning and energy enhancement drink marketed as a "freaky scientific" breakthrough on the Web site of the company that makes it.

There's a news clip about Ashley's death with the news article; it's worth watching.

I'll conclude with how I concluded my earlier post:

There's something definitely wrong here. [Red Line manufacturer] VPX is not taking responsibility for its product and is getting away with it. Seven-11 is not taking responsibility for the products it sells and is also getting away with it.

Please pass this along with a warning. Energy drink drinkers, think about going back to good old coffee or black tea and stay away from this junk.

Here's A Show You Won't Want To Miss!

2008-05-01T16:18:00.000-07:00

Be sure to tune in this Friday to E! Television, for the show THS Investigates: Prom Nightmares and airs at 8 Eastern/7 Central (check your local listings).

The 90-minute show offers a warning to parents and prom-going kids about what has happened to other kids who made bad decisions on prom night. It will include a segment on Cathy Isford, a girl who died after taking Ecstasy at her prom.

I included a segment on Cathy, told by her mom, dad and sister on my Voice of the Victim films. It is such a touching and sad story! The tribute her father Paul gives to her is one of the most moving things I've ever seen or heard.

The THS crew used our office to shoot the interviews with the Isford family and me and we're told that Voice of the Victims will get on-screen titles -- and that several million people are likely to watch the show. Since my mission is to get the films into the hands of people who need them, this could be a great moment for Voice of the Victims.

If you're curious, or if you or your kids or your grandkids are at or approaching prom age, this could be a good thing to watch.

And by the way, if you're curious or if you, your kids, etc., are prom age, you should consider getting a copy of the films yourself.

Catch a preview of Prom Nightmares here. The clip doesn't include anything on Cathy, but gives you a pretty good idea of what the story line is: the risks kids put themselves in because of bad choices they make -- and a lot of bad choices are made around prom and graduation.

Trying To Save Angels

2008-03-15T15:06:00.000-07:00

No matter how many stories I hear about how drug tragedies tear families apart, I get torn up, as I did with this story out of Pennsylvania:

Tom Hamilton has lots of photographs and memories. His oldest daughter, Melissa, had an infectious smile and was a cheerleader for Central Dauphin and the Big 33. His oldest son, Phillip, was the funny one who kept an eye on younger sister Nina.

"Phillip was always very fun and caring and always protective," Nina said. "I always felt safe. He'd never let anything happen to me."

But Phillip wasn't so protective of himself. In 2004, while partying with friends, Phillip overdosed on Xanax and heroin. He was 25.
Less than 2 years later, Melissa suffered the same fate at 28.

"She said I need this to wake up in the morning - to get through my day," Nina said. "She needed it and that's what heroin does to you."

Tom Hamilton has responded to this tragedy in a way I understand, even though, thank God, I haven't had to live through a tragedy like his: He started a drug education group.

Through his tears and grief, Tom started Saving Angels, a non-profit dedicated to educating kids and parents about the dangers of drugs. "Kids gotta understand that they're harming more than themselves," he said. "It involves parents, other friends, involves all their relatives."

He is so right! Too many parents just don't understand the dangers drugs pose today, and to protect their kids they have to start by educating themselves.

Saving Angels is a local group with an outreach program to schools and groups around Harrisburg PA. If you're in that area, please contact them.

Others can find educational resources at the Voice of the Victims Web site, and much, much more on the Voice of the Victims films.

Elation As Abducted Girl Found

2008-03-15T13:15:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted previously on Sharon Matthews, a 9 year old British girl who's been missing for 24 days. Well, she's been found! Watch the excitement, not just of her family but of Sharon's entire town, on hearing the news:

It is impossible to imagine 24 days of waiting in horrified, worry-filled agony for news like this -- but how wonderful that this is the news the Matthews family got.

It's also encouraging that there is also a suspect in custody -- but once again, it's impossible to imagine what the Matthews family is feeling on learning that he is a member of their extended family.

Tussionex Warning!

2008-03-11T20:06:00.000-07:00

Washington has noted the dangerous results of using the prescription cough medicine Tussionex as a drug and issued a warning:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. health officials issued an alert on Tuesday about reports of life-threatening side effects and deaths among patients, including children, who took UCB SA's prescription cough medicine Tussionex.

The reports indicate doctors sometimes are prescribing, and patients sometimes taking, more than the recommended dose of Tussionex Pennkinetic Extended-Release Suspension, the Food and Drug Administration said.

Some also are taking the drug more frequently than every 12 hours, the recommended time interval, or giving it to children under age 6, the FDA said. Tussionex is not approved for children younger than 6.

Here's what the RX List has to say about Tussionex. It's technical, so I'll leave all the links in -- and I've highlighted the frightening stuff you should pay attention to!

Serious overdosage with hydrocodone [Tussionex] is characterized by respiratory depression (a decrease in respiratory rate and/or tidal volume, Cheyne-Stokes respiration, cyanosis), extreme somnolence progressing to stupor or coma, skeletal muscle flaccidity, cold and clammy skin, and sometimes bradycardia and hypotension. Although miosis is characteristic of narcotic overdose, mydriasis may occur in terminal narcosis or severe hypoxia. In severe overdosage apnea [stopped or decreased breathing], circulatory collapse, cardiac arrest and death may occur.

Be careful with this and ALL prescription drugs!

Chandler was Found

2008-02-18T11:34:00.000-08:00

I am happy to report Chandler was found!

Beth Pearce

Annette's Story

2007-12-15T16:48:00.000-08:00

It's been four and a half years since Annette Orango was drugged with GHB and raped. Annette was crushed by the crime against her and has worked valiantly to build up her strength and self-esteem.

Virtually ever since that day, she's battling the Vancouver police for justice and the Canadian health care system to receive treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which she explains as:

Vomiting, hypervigilance, fear, anxiety, anger, rage, hatred, panic attacks, depression including suicidal thoughts, headaches, hyper acute senses(wear sunglasses often, easily startled by noises or unexpected touching), no sex, no physical contact, avoid men, can not have my back exposed, must sleep either on couch or a bed with one side against a wall, looking over shoulder dozens of times daily, can not carry items in both hands, can not wear high heeled footwear, have to see the door in public places, have to sit in booth or high back chair or against a wall, avoid many public places including movie theatres, concerts, drinking establishments, have to sit on side bench seats or very back of public transit, avoid going anywhere after dark, avoid drinking beverages in public places, achy bones, excessive tiredness, short term memory loss, emotional swings, triggers(black men, New Westminster,alcohol, degrading and disrespectful comments regarding women, violence) flashbacks, dissociation, isolation, difficulty trusting, difficulty reading, difficulty focusing and concentrating, diminished interest in everyday activities, avoid going most places alone, loss of sense of order or fairness in the world, difficulty sleeping, compromised immune system, avoid people, increased need to control, always armed, over protective, agoraphobia, obsessive compulsive disorder.

There are more. Some of these I have overcome,but I still experience many.

All this because one man decided it would be a good idea to drug Annette's drink with GHB and rape her. After corresponding with Annette for some time, she has just sent me tons of information and documentation on her case.

I wish I had known Annette before this happened to her, because I can tell from our emails she was a lovely person. You can see from these excerpts from her lengthy document , Canadian Corruption, which details the case and the pain it's caused her, it is hard for Annette to be that lovely person today. She is angry, hurt and struggling.

Here are some excerpts from Canadian Corruption:

My name is Annette Orango. On April 29, 2003 my life changed forever and no one could prepare me for the nightmare I was about to endure. I am Canadian and as a Canadian I am going to exercise my right to Freedom of Speech. I will prove to you the Canadian Government is corrupt by supplying government documentation and I will warn you some of this information is graphic and disturbing. This includes medical records, information from the police file and much more.

What you will read on this website is based on my feelings, my thoughts, my beliefs, my experiences, my wants, and my opinion. I am entitled to these and no one can take these away from me. I am born and raised Canadian and my Human Rights have been violated so many times I've lost count. I might possibly be the most pissed off woman in this country and there are many responsible for my pain and trauma. I am filled with anger, hatred and rage and unfortunately that hasn't gotten better with time. And if you think it's acceptable for victims to go through this type of turmoil, then so be it. But,try to put yourself in my shoes. Try to empathize. And if you're a man, put yourself in my fathers' boots. Don't think about this too much. FEEL IT! And this is not a joke and a game, this has been my life since April 29,2003.

Long story short.April 29,2003 I was drugged and raped. I am sharing this information with the world because these are extremely heinous crimes that are happening everyday and everywhere. They are unreported because of the nature of the crime which is severe memory loss. It's very difficult to tell someone what happened to you if you don't know. Also the drugs leave your system very fast and are rarely detected.

Rape is the worst trauma a woman can go through. It is the gravest of all violations. Drugging a woman's drink magnifies that trauma by a thousand fold. And as soon as you put a date rape drug such as GHB, ketamine, rohypnol, etc. in a woman's drink; you have eliminated all aspects of consent to the act of sex and you are know a rapist. You also do not care whether that woman lives or dies at the moment of ingestion or in her future. These drugs are extremely potent and do kill when they are administered. They affect the heart, the central nervous system, the respiratory system, etc. You could also be a murderer and drugging drinks is very premeditated. There is no doubt in my mind this is what happened to Natalie Halloway.

I have done lots of work on this. Date rape drugs are everywhere and I have known for quite some time that bar staff are being paid so men can drug drinks and men are being drugged by other men. Why? If a man comes into a drinking establishment with a woman or is trying to pick up a woman that some other guy is interested in, his drink may be drugged to remove him from the scenario.

And of course bar staff themselves are drugging women’s' drinks as is the case of 44 year old Fernando Manuel Aves. This bartender at the Metrotown Station Square Pub (Burnaby, BC) has been charged with 4 counts of sexual assault and 1 count of administration of a noxious substance. And he is still allowed to serve drinks to women while out on bail!! ... He is a serial rapist for Christ sakes and the morons responsible for him allowing to serve alcohol deserve a bullet between their eyes. This is where Canadians need to get their heads out of their asses. You can hardly protect your drink when bar staff are involved. And the cops need to stop telling women to be cautious, but to tell these scumbags this is not acceptable behavior and you need to control your dicks.

I was drugged in a clean, decent pub called the Thirsty Duck Pub in New Westminster, BC. I was raped in my home. We were stopped by the police on the way to my home because of the shape I was in. When I woke up I knew something bad had happened. I had a rape kit done and called the police. I told them what I knew, which wasn't much. And honestly, I thought well if I don't remember what's it going to hurt? Which is what these scumbags are counting on. It came back to bite me in the ass as hard as it gets.

I was barred from the pub for life for having the police investigate. Then, in December of 2003, I started vomiting chronically. This continued until the day I moved from my apartment which was June 28,2004. I had numerous tests done and I couldn't work. I was on disability through my workplace, but as promptly cut off from these benefits when they learned I had been drugged and raped. I was finally diagnosed with PTSD [post traumatic stress disorder] which I get to live with for the rest of my life and have to take medication for on a daily basis. It affects the central nervous system and another severe trauma could put me in a coma, a vegetative state or even kill me. I applied to the Criminal Victims' Assistance Program (CVAP) and have had to deal with these inept morons ever since. This is where the serious corruption starts.

The drugging and the rape were committed by a black individual originally from Cameroon, Africa. His name is Ted. He was never charged. Since then there have been other crimes committed against me by government officials and other individuals. EVERYTHING IN MY LIFE HAS CHANGED. Ultimately Ted is responsible for all of this, and I want him dead for what he has put me through. ...

I'm not too sure how many times one woman has to ask for help, but I can only be kicked in the head so many times and thanks to all of these selfish cops and lazy government officials, I am armed 24/7 with knives and firearms. I have done 2 radio interviews, participated in 2 newspaper stories [the Province and Calgary Herald], participated in having the legislature changed regarding drug facilitated rape,have done peer counselling for the few women who actually knew this happened to them and have seen 5 counsellors/phsychologists. People have been extremely condescending of my trauma and pain and I have been blamed time and time again for being a victim; even though everyone knows men think with their dicks.

I'm 38 years old and I am a smart woman who has had everything taken away from her. Myself and my family are the only ones who have suffered any consequences. I have busted my ass to reclaim my self worth and to make a difference for myself and others. I deserve closure,the truth, accountability, compensation and restitution.

I couldn't agree more, but all Annette gets are roadblock, and much worse. It's as if she, not Ted, were the criminal.

Annette has sent me much more information, which I'm still going through. Look for future posts.

Photo credit: T. Paz

Ashley Flores Missing: A Hoax!

2007-12-07T23:02:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Carol for calling to let me know the story I posted here a while back about a supposedly missing girl named Ashley Flores is a hoax. You can read about the hoax at Snopes.

It's a real shame that some people reduce the impact of true missing children alerts by created awful hoaxes like this.

Beware of Red Line Energy Drink!

2007-10-12T12:39:00.001-07:00

I have copied below a post from my husband's blog detailing a frightening incident we had as a result of a family friend drinking a Red Line energy drink. This is a very dangerous concoction, so please avoid it and caution your friends and family!

A week ago last night, one of my friends drank an energy drink -- Red Line, manufactured by VPX Sports -- and spent the next 24 hours so sick that we were monitoring her carefully in anticipation of having to take her to the emergency room.

Her symptoms, which came on about two and a half hours after she drank a can of the brew, included chills, sweating, diarrhea and vomiting, vomiting, vomiting with deep, racking convulsions that were quite frightening to watch. Fortunately, they died down and she eventually returned to her normal, healthy self.

She is hardly alone in her reaction to this foul concoction. Here's Lynn commenting on HealthBoard message boards:

I dont recommend it to anyone. Seriously, I am not a light weight when it comes to things that amp you. But this one, no, no, no! It made me immediately ill, shaky, chest pain beyond belief, I thought I was going to die. (sweating and chills, through [sic] up 3 times). Outrageous, I wonder how they were able to actually sell it to anybody.

And, 10.5 hrs later???? Still sick and heart pounding out of control.

And here's the quick-typing Sleepy commenting on the site Tell Him Fred:

I have a porblem with redlineenergy drink. i drank the whole can yesterday, after i drank the can about 4 hours later i started getting shakey, then i started to throw up, i couldnt keep food down, rapid heart rate followed, extreme sweating from my body getting overheated, then my left side muscles started to go cold and hurt, I was awake a good part of the night and it was worse than any illegal drug i have ever tried and I’ve been around. Do NOT drink this drink it is bad news and shouldn’t be legal

And, if you want some "expert" opinion, here's a review from Energy Drink Reviews:

Wow, this drink is some serious stuff. I mean about half the bottle is the warning label, and it is serious, this drink is INSANE. It says that you should not drink it unless you are over 18, which I would say is a good warning. This is the first drink that was to much for me. The bottle says warning potent, but I have had every energy drink I could find without a problem. This Redline, made me feel like I was tweaking out hard core, I felt like I was going to have a heart attack. I seriously mean I wasn't enjoying the quick happy buzz that you get from most energy drinks. This was a scary my body is going out of control hot and cold sweats, tweaked out. I had the drink at two in the afternoon and I couldn't sleep until 4 am in the morning.

That's from someone who obviously has a lot of experience with these drinks, and considerable resistance to them.

My friend did not follow directions, drinking an entire can -- but what's with putting two "doses" in one can? Every other energy drink comes in a one-serving can.

And what's in the can? Caffeine, Green Tea, Yerba Mate, 5-HTP (5 hydroxy-1-tryptophan), cAMP, Yohimbe, Evodiamine, and Vinpocetine. And a few other things.

I've thought for some time that it's ironic that people like my friend, who are concerned about their health, eating organic foods and shunning tap water, would ever get close to this stuff.

5-HTP? That's an amino acid that's a precursor to the neurotransmitter seratonin. It's in Red Line because of its alleged appetite suppressant characteristics but it also seems to definitely affect the brain chemistry involving mood and depression -- perhaps enhancing feelings -- but what is a compound that messes with brain chemistry doing in an over-the-counter drink?

Plus, it and Vinpocetine can both cause intestinal upset and rapid heartbeat.

Here's some of what Wikipedia has to say about cAMP:

Role of cAMP in human carcinoma

Some research has suggested that a deregulation of cAMP pathways and an aberrant activation of cAMP-controlled genes is linked to the growth of some cancers.^[1]^[2]^[3]

[edit] Role of cAMP in Prefrontal Cortex Disorders

Recent research may indicate that cAMP affects the function of higher order thinking in the prefrontal cortex through its regulation of ion channels called hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channels (HCN). When cAMP stimulates the HCN, these gates open, rendering the brain cell closed to communication, thus interfering with prefrontal cortex function. This research is of interest to scientists studying the brain, especially the degradation of higher cognitive function in ADHD and aging.^[4]

Again, what's a chemical that messes with brain chemistry doing in an over-the-counter energy drink?

Red Line's attorneys appear to be well aware of the risks of this product. After their intervention, here's the warning label:

WARNING: NOT FOR USE BY INDIVIDUALS UNDER THE AGE OF 18 YEARS. DO NOT USE IF PREGNANT OR NURSING. Consult a physician or licensed qualified health care professional before using this product if you have, or have a family history of, heart disease, thyroid disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, depression or other psychiatric condition, glaucoma, difficulty in urinating, prostate enlargement, or seizure disorder, or if you are using a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) or any other dietary supplement, prescription drug, or over-the-counter drug containing ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, or phenylpropanolamine (ingredients found in certain allergy, asthma, cough or cold, and weight control products). Do not exceed recommended serving. Exceeding recommended serving may cause adverse health effects. Discontinue use and call a physician or licensed qualified health care professional immediately if you experience rapid heartbeat, dizziness, severe headache, shortness of breath, or other similar symptoms. The consumer assumes total liability if this product is used in a manner inconsistent with label guidelines. Do not use for weight reduction. KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN.

I wrote VPX sports early in the week asking them to explain why they make this product, and why they pack two doses in a can. They have not responded.

I wrote Seven-11 Stores, which is one of the few retail chains that stocks it, and which sold it to my friend, asking them not to stock the drink any more. They have not responded.

Update: VPX called me on 9/18, following up on my email to Seven-11, not my email to them. The man on the phone, while very friendly, defended the drink as appealing to a small market that wanted a substitute for ephedrine, which has been pulled from the market. His reason for calling was because he was required to under FDA regulations, and spend nearly the entire time asking me questions so he could fill out his questionnaire. He did tell me that to his knowledge, no one has died from the drink.

In all the research I've done on this product, including a Nexis media search, I've found no stories by major media outlets on the threat Red Line presents, although I found one story about a similar drink named Spike sent several Denver and Boulder sent several kids to the hospital.

There's something definitely wrong here. VPX is not taking responsibility for its product and is getting away with it. Seven-11 is not taking responsibility for the products it sells and is also getting away with it.

Please pass this along to your kids and/or friends with a warning. Energy drink drinkers, think about going back to good old coffee or black tea and stay away from this junk.

Hair Tests Let You Test for GHB Long After Incident

2007-10-02T22:19:00.000-07:00

A good friend who wants to help anyone who thinks she may have been the victim of a drug assisted rape asked me to pass along contact information for two labs that can do hair analysis for date rape drugs.

Victims of drug-assisted rape may not realize that they have been raped until long after other tests for the presence of drugs are no longer reliable. But with hair testing, as long as the relevant section of hair has not been cut off, the hair can be tested -- even months after a sexual assault.

The two labs are The Carlson Company in Colorado and Tox Associates in Ohio.

"Without this test, I would never have known that I was given GHB," she told me.

Vancouver Police Seek Help On Alleged GHB Rapist

2007-09-23T14:02:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine forwarded the news article below to me. I've highlighted two key paragraphs: The first one says the Vancouver police department is seeking help on this case, and the second gives some good advice.

VANCOUVER (CBC) - A prominent member of British Columbia's ball hockey community has been released on bail after appearing in court Thursday, charged with spiking women's drinks and sexual assault.

Fernando Manuel Alves of Burnaby was arrested on Sept. 8 and charged with four counts of sexual assault and one count of administering a noxious substance.

The 44-year-old pub owner and vice-president of the Western Ball Hockey Association appeared in B.C. provincial court on Thursday, where he was released under strict bail conditions ....

Vancouver police have appealed for more information about Alves, who is accused of alleged offences against four women, aged between 20 and 30 years old, in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland.

During a news conference on Wednesday, Const. Tim Fanning reminded the public to be aware of the risks involved with knowingly going somewhere alone with a new acquaintance.

"Stay with your friends to the end of the night,'' he said. "If you meet somebody that you want to see again, meet them the next day. Don't get in the position of going back with them alone, especially when you've been drinking."

News of Alves's arrest has shocked a former employee at his Burnaby pub.

Scott Klassen, who was a doorman at the Station Square pub until two months ago, described his old boss as "just a regular guy."

"Every night I worked, he worked," Klassen told CBC News. "He never drank on shift. He always seemed to be a clean-cut guy."

Klassen says Alves was very generous with staff.

"He always took people out to football games, hockey games, concerts, provided a limo - you know, free drinks, free night type thing, as a ... hey, thanks for working here type thing."

Childrens Meth

2007-09-08T23:06:00.000-07:00

I just recieved this information and would like to share it with all of you! Please read this and pass it on.

If you read this and have had any contact or experience with this, please feel free to tell us about it.

DEAR BETH,

MY NAME IS MICHAEL RUZEVICH. I AM A COOK COUNTY DEPUTY SHERIFF AND A D.A.R.E OFFICER. I HAD WRITTEN TO YOU ABOUT A MAN WHO IS MY FRIEND, MR DAVID LORENZ. HIS SON DIED A TRAGIC DEATH AS A RESULT OF TAKING WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS ECTASY.

I AM WRITING YOU TO INFORM YOU OF SOMETHING THAT WE ARE BATTLING IN THE LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY. IT IS THE PRESENTATION OF THE DRUG CALLED CRYSTAL METH(METHAMPHETAMINE) IN THE FORM OF SOMETHING WE ARE CALLING CHILDRENS METH.

THE REASON WE REFER TO IT AS THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE WAY IT LOOKS AND SMELLS. IT LOOKS LIKE ROCK CANDY. IT SMELLS LIKE STRAWBERRIES, AND TASTE LIKE STRAWBERRIES AND OTHER VARIOUS FLAVORS THAT WE KNOW OF LIKE, PEANUT BUTTER, CHOCALATE CRUNCH,
MANGO EXPLOSION,AND FRUITY FRUIT PUNCH.

PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THIS IS AN AWFUL WAY TO ATTRACT KIDS TO DOING DRUGS. BY YOU DOING WHAT EVER YOU CAN TO GET THIS MESSAGE TO EVERY SOURCE YOU DEAL WITH IN YOUR ORGANIZATION, YOUR HELP WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
MAY GOD BLESS THE WORK YOU DO,

MICHAEL RUZEVICH

PLEASE HELP FIND Madeleine (Missing 4 year old)

2007-06-11T11:38:00.000-07:00

Please look at these pictures of this cute little girl who was taken.

Please read this message and pass it on!!!!!!!!! As you are aware my niece, Madeleine, is still missing and I am asking everyone I know to send this as a chain letter i.e. you send it to everyone you know and ask them to do the same, as the story is only being covered in Britain, Eire and Portugal. We don't believe that she is in Portugal anymore and need to get her picture and the story across Europe as quickly as possible. Suggestions are welcome.

Phil McCann
McCann's family believes a new picture of the missing four-year -old could play a vital role in the search for her. The photo of the youngster shows clearly her distinctive right eye, where the pupil runs into the blue-green iris. The new poster of Madeleine It is this distinguishing mar k that will identify Madeleine to those on the lookout for her, according to aunt and uncle John and Diane McCann.

The Glasgow couple aim to distribute the appeal poster, which features the Crimestoppers telephone number, as far afield as they can. Family friend Andrew Renwick told Sky News that support for the search had been "overwhelming" and her family were extremely grateful. Her right eye Mrs McCann said: "The purpose of the poster is to highlight the distinction in Madeleine's eye. "We want to make the most of it, because we know her hair could potentially be cut or dyed." Mr McCann added: "The poster was designed by a friend of the family and I've begun Emailing it to acquaintances in different parts of the world.

"I'm asking people to circulate it the best they can and make it be seen." Madeleine's Eye Holds Vital Clue
If you have any information you should contact your local police, RCMP or Crimestoppers without delay.

DXM COMMENT MUST SHARE!

2007-05-23T18:40:00.000-07:00

This comment just came in and it is so good and right on I wanted to post it here, so more people can see it! Thank you, Josue I agree with everything you said!!
Beth

Josue has left a new comment on your post "DXM WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?":

I took DXM throughout high school, and a few years afterwards. I had uncontrollable muscle spasms during the times I was taking it the most. My chest would lunge forward and my shoulders and neck would twist. It was painful, and embarrassing, and it happened when I wasn’t high at all. I wanted to say, some of you don’t understand what is going on. This drug affects the nervous system and brain. The damage can be permanent, and as we know, can lead to death. Some of you say it isn’t a big deal to take it, you just have to take no more than such and such amount, and some of you are bragging about taking 30 or 40 tabs, which has killed people before. People who take DXM, or want to take it, are going to do what their friends are doing, and if they hear that someone tripped balls off of 30 tabs, they will try it too. They don’t know what is “safe”. You are all saying different things. Some of you are incredibly heartless too. So many people have died, and all you can do is come on here and brag about how many pills you’ve taken, or how cool your highs have been. I think it is just about as cool as drinking antifreeze. I know what it is like, and I know how much fun it is, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t foolish.

I want to just warn you all out there who might be thinking about taking it or are taking it. You can literally make yourself retarded. It damages the brain and nervous system. Don’t do it. If you are still thinking about taking it after knowing what it does, then you may as well write your suicide note while your at it. So many people have died. I keep hearing stories from friends. They know someone who has died, or their son, daughter, or grandson or daughter has died, or one of their friends… the stories just don’t stop.

I can’t believe they haven’t done more to keep kids safe. So much can be done. I hear they are going to put in another drug that will make a person vomit if they take a certain amount. They need to hurry up and do that before this drug claims more lives.

I don’t know if everyone else has noticed, but some of you can’t write or spell, and I’m wondering…seriously… I know most of you are young, but…

IN MEMORY OF SARA STEVEN CATHY

2007-05-12T23:10:00.001-07:00

May is the Month Sara, Steven and Cathy died from Ecstasy! Erin had her accident and brain injury from Ketamine in May also. Please read below about them. You may leave a comment, it will be posted immediately. I have lifted the sreening period for comments.

BETH

Remembering Steven

2007-05-12T23:09:00.000-07:00

It was six years ago Sara (below) and Steven died from ecstasy that had PMA in it!

In Memory of:
Steven Lorenz Died May 7th 2000 from
Ecstasy and PMA

He was just 17 years old! His father David still does all he can to help educate the kids on what can happen if you take a drug, and the fact that what they say is in the pill may not be what is really in the pill. You can go on my website, the preview page and see more about Steven.

Be sure to listen to the tribute to Steven made by his Dad, brother and musician friend Joe Center.

Dave Lorenz (left) with Mayor Daley (Center) and Dominick Garza (Right) at a "TARGET AMERICA " Drug Awareness Event in Chicago

Let's Remember Sara

2007-05-12T23:08:00.000-07:00

Sara Aeschlimann died May 14th 2000 from Ecstasy and PMA

Sara died on Mother's Day 2001. She took some E on her own, but was slipped more. Sara was the only child of Robert and Jann Aeschlimann, and she was only 18 years old!

You can see a preview of Sara's full story on my preview page.

In Memory of Cathy Isford

2007-05-12T23:06:00.001-07:00

Cathy Isford died May 22, 2002 after taking Ecstasy on Prom Night! She was 18 years old, engaged to be married. Her Family Paul, Pat and Star continue to do all they can to spread the word Ecstasy is dangerous, even a couple of pills.

You can see more about Cathy here.

Erin Rose

2007-05-12T22:39:00.000-07:00

5 years ago today. May 13th Erin Rose took Ketamine. She stopped breathing for 18 minutes and was left with a severe brain injury.

You can see more on Erin here http://www.voiceofthevictims.com/Preview.htm

OxyContin Heart Break!!

2007-05-12T18:22:00.000-07:00

Carol (right photo) is a very special friend who I met while making my film on the dangers of designer drugs. Carol’s sister, Allison (left photo) had just died from GHB.

Now her other and only sister still living is addicted to Oxy Contin!! Carol has been beside herself as to how to help her sister! She doesn’t want to lose her, like she lost Allison. They can’t afford the high prices of a treatment center.
I would love to see this money Purdue has to pay in fines, go to help all those addicted to oxy contin get into treatment programs. I heard today on the News, the amount of the fine is only 6 months of profits made on Oxy Contin. This isn’t really that much!

I want to hear from you all about what you think about this.

Allison dead from GHB

Note: Your comments will be posted immediately. Please be respectful!

Thank you,

Beth

Washington Drug Letter

2007-05-12T18:20:00.000-07:00

Washington Drug Letter

May 14, 2007 Monday

Purdue Pleads Guilty to Mislabeling OxyContin

SECTION: Vol. 39 No. 20

LENGTH: 344 words
Purdue Pharma and three current and former company executives pleaded guilty to mislabeling OxyContin and will pay more than $634 million in fines, according to a U.S. prosecutor.
The agreement closed a four-year investigation by the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Western District of Virginia over the company's promotion of the painkiller OxyContin (oxycodone HCl). Purdue acknowledged it falsely claimed OxyContin was less addictive, less subject to abuse and less likely to cause withdrawal symptoms than other pain medications, U.S. Attorney John Brownlee said.
"The results of [Purdue's] misrepresentations and crimes sparked one of our nation's greatest prescription drug failures," Brownlee said. Between 1996 and 2002, OxyContin caused 146 deaths and contributed to 318, according to a report from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency.
The company trained sales representatives to tell healthcare providers that it was more difficult to abuse OxyContin, the attorney general's office said. In addition, the company told some physicians that patients would not experience withdrawal symptoms or develop a tolerance to the drug.
The FDA's Office of Criminal Investigations said the company engaged in "an extensive, long-term conspiracy" to generate higher sales through illegal schemes.
Purdue CEO Michael Friedman, general counsel Howard Udell and former chief medical officer Paul Goldenheim pleaded guilty to misbranding the drug. Friedman will pay $19 million to the Virginia Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Udell will pay $8 million and Goldenheim will pay $7.5 million, the attorney general's office said.
An independent staff will monitor the company and provide reports to the government on the company's business practices, the office said. Purdue noted it has already changed its internal training, compliance and monitoring systems to stop similar events from occurring again.
The company and executives filed their guilty pleas in the U.S. District Court of the Western District of Virginia May 10. -- Emily Ethridge
Release date: May 14, 2007

DXM WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?

2007-05-08T01:13:00.000-07:00

This Post has been getting quite a few comments. I thought I would bring it to the front and let you all continue your thoughts on this one.
Beth

Voice of the Victims films.
Friday, September 29, 2006

Another Triple C DXM Death
This was posted on the Dr. Phil message board site. It was posted by a woman who would like to get the word out, DXM is dangerous and we need to all warn our kids. Please read this and pass it on to others. This is just so sad! The kids really think this is safe! Please tell them it isn't. Thank you,Beth

Tragedy Strikes AgainI'm writing to share with you a terrible thing that I have experienced last Sunday through today and hope that you canspread a message for us. The pain that we, her family and friends are feeling right now is indescribable, and the worst part, so needless.
My daughter's friend, whom she to went to school with since kindergarten, died early last Sunday morning. She was 16 years old. We have known her family since the girls met at Catholic School and kept in touch, saw them at church and school functions, birthday parties, etc. Theycarpooled together their freshman year. She was probably the mostpopular girl I have ever met, loved by the girls as well as the boys, a super soccer and la crosse player.
She was just beautiful with big blue eyes, long blond hair.Last Monday, she took 24 'triple C' pills. Triple C is plain oldcough, cold, codeine over the counter pills we give our children when they are sick. Triple C is the new high for teenagers.
She was not angry, unhappy or anything else. She was not a drug user. She just wanted to get high and heard this was a fun and easy way to do it. When she began vomiting Tuesday morning and couldn't stop, her parents took her to Children's Hospital in Orange.
Although she text messaged a friend on Monday night about what she had done, she didn't tell the doctors, the nurses, or her parents. Neither did her friend or any of the other friends who were forwarded the text message. For four days, test after test was being done to figure out what was wrong. Still no one said anything.
On Friday, she slipped into a coma and was given last rites before being flown to UCLA Medical Ctron Saturday morning. Her liver had completely failed and she passed at 2:30 a.m.The Memorial Service yesterday at La Purisima was the saddest day I have ever spent.

The church was full (it holds 1200), several hundred teens alone. To see her in that white coffin weighing 25# or so more than her tiny self and looking years older because she was full of toxins was a sobering sight for those kids. As that little coffin was rolled down the church aisle today flanked by her brother and cousins, followed by her grieving aunt, grandmother and parents,

I swear the whole church was sobbing. Her poor dad was taken to St Joe's at the conclusion of the church service for a potential heart attack (his third) and missed the 16 white doves let at the graveside. If this girl had known how many people loved, adored her...I know she didn't think taking all those pills would kill her, just give her a high, make her feel good for awhile. I know if she could have seen all those people with so much pain in them these last days,she would have thought twice about putting those pills in her mouth.
These kids think they are invincible, that death cannot touch them at 16. They just have no idea. I had never heard of 'triple C' being used as a high or 'huffing' which is opening the cold capsule and snorting it. But when I asked around, all the kids were very aware of the term and the high.

If each one of us tells one person about this story, and that person tells someone else, and they tell someone, and so forth, maybe we can help some other teen avoid dying so needlessly, avoid ruining their parents’ lives, hurting their friends and family.
posted by Beth @ 12:52 AM

30 Comments:

At 4:02 PM, Rik Martin said…
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At 10:18 PM, Anonymous said…
im so sorry to hear that...i lost my lil brother 2 triple c......

At 9:18 PM, Anonymous said…
A few hours ago, My best friend Jaimee OD'ed she went to a local hospital, now she has been flown to a bigger City hospital. No one knows her condition yet. A friend's brother that was with her told me that she had taken 60 Triple C's. The worst part is waiting to and not knwing how she is.

At 6:56 AM, Anonymous said…
wow.... im only 13 years old and ive been takeing triple c it kinda makes you feel like you are invinsible until you throw up it feels like yours loungs are in your throat after this story i guess i should stop. im sorry to hear what happened thanks for shareing it with me

At 1:04 PM, 2 high school kids said…
okay so that is all so totally scary. all of our friends and i pop triple c's to get a high now and then... usually 14 or 16 maybe even 12 for people who do it alot but like 8 or newbies. and its weird that u can actually die from it.never thought of it like that. i figured it was just coughmedicine. although ive never heard of neone "huffing it"but another thing someone should bring up is how Metimucil contains 30mg of DXM just like triple c's...and lots of people pop those too...when wal mart runs out or c's.

At 6:40 PM, Anonymous said…
this is very sad i am of only 12 years old and i have gotten exspeeled from my middle scholl 4 tripple c i was careless and stupid and now even after they took my friends life i pop them just tooo see if they will take mine to be with her i knew hwe 10 years i luv her and miss her i rpay 4 to this day i am only 12 and lost 5 friends to drug over dosees i cant stad my self but plz if u or some one u know uses tripple its not worth it im not say to but use pot as a subsatut but it can not kill you after one time

At 3:02 PM, Anonymous said…
im 13 years old and i tried triple c's in school. my friend and i made a deal, i was giving her my diet pills for her trippin pills. im now expelled from school because of it. im very sorry to hear about what happened to you. i had to go to the emergency room,because i almost passed out. thankfully, it wasnt a huge deal, i only took 7 of them. but still, stuff like this makes me really sad,knowing that i did the same kind of thing and i am very very thankful.

At 5:00 PM, nikki said…
i was close with this girl. i love her and miss you soooooo much. we all pray for her and never will forget her bright smiling face.

At 6:01 AM, Anonymous said…
i have a 15yo daughter who has been doing triple c's and she stopped for awhile, like 4-5 months and then out of the blue she popped the pills because she had a bad day. she freaked out at the mall and i was not there; she thought she was having a heart attack. i am so worried about her and she is a smart girl and knows what these pills can do to her

At 9:00 PM, Anonymous said…
I'm in the eighth grade. Almost all of my friends pop triple c, except for me. I can't do anything about it, even though i've tried. None of them really know what it can do. They think it's just an easy way to get high. I dont know what to do anymore.:[

At 3:14 PM, Anonymous said…
This is the most rediculous display of childishness i think ive ever seen. Im 21 years old and was introduced to coricidin about 9 months ago. I have a very addictive personality, so naturally i was hooked very shortly thereafter. It started with 8 pills a night. Within a week, i had uped it to 8 pills twice a day. Within 3 more weeks, i had been popping 16 at a time on my days off from work, and 8 sometimes up to 3 times a day while i was working. Keep in mind this was an everyday occurance. EVERY DAY. Well, as you can imagine, things didnt go so well for me in the comming months. I became very irratible to anyone and everyone, on occasion i would have fits of rage, dillusions that i was better than everyone else. Things along those lines. But then the depression came when things started falling down around me... i lost my job, (which by the way was my 12th and highest payed job yet) i lost the respect that i so desperatly strived for in my 2 best friends, and i lost my girl...all in the same day. Not to mention my parents. They ruined my life... they ruined everything. And then i tried to commit suicide. How you ask? ccc's of course. I took my last 20 bucks down to the store (which i wont name) and bought 80 pills. Took them all... I was done; it was over. But then an hour or so later, my father came to visit me and found me in a coma. Obviously he called 911, and a long story short, I woke up the next day completly out of it, and in the hospital. They used some sort of charcoal as an antidote, and it was like a miracle that i made it through. Here i am, 3 months later after i got out of that hospital, after i was baker acted, and after i went through byfar the worst time in my entire life, and im still that guy... i just cant seem to get away from the c's. I take them alot less than before, but there just so damn addictive... they made me into who i am today. All i want to say here, especially to those 16 or 17 yr. olds, is, learn from my mistakes... quit now because they've destroyed me...and lemme tell you, it aint easy pickin up the pieces and movin on. Now, i did have other drugs influencing me, (Pot, coke, meth, speed) but the root of all of that is the c's... DON'T DO DRUGS KIDS, YOU'LL REGRET IT, I GUARENTEE.

At 8:31 AM, Anonymous said…
I'm sorry to hear about her death. I'm 18 yrs old and I was just recently introduced to Triple C's. I had no reason for why i tool them, I just did. The only drug that I've tried all my life was Pot and which i still intend to do. But Triple C's I did enjoy my first time, I took 8. I've taken Triple C's twice. It's not really my thing and after lookin'up information on these pills i'm glad that I've found this site, reading everyone's comments helped me realize that This type of dumb shit isn't gonna help you get over things or feel better. so yeah I just wanted to share my experience and once again i'm sorry hear about the 16 year old girl and all the death's everyone around the world has witnessed from Triple c's.

At 5:32 AM, Anonymous said…
that is ridicuolous. I used to do c's when I was young. It is dangerous to take it, because of two ingrediants that both attack the same enzyme in your liver--this is what causes the sometimes potentially fatal liver problems aforementioned. do some research. DXM is what makes you trip. the alternate ingredients in pills containing DXM can be potentially fatal when taken in mass quantities. DXM alone is illegal in the united states, prompting DXM fans/users to pull apart over the counter drugs to get at it. there are other drugs that contain DXM that can be taken in large quantity without harm, such as ROBOTUSSIN. reaserch this, and you'll find a wave of "teens" who "robo-trip." c's do not possess the capabilites of being addictive like heroin or even nicotine. c's are only addictive in the aspect that your mind created some strong manifestation of desire for them.. there are no physical withdrawal symptoms. It takes a while for c's to clear out of your systems, so kids that do it are sure to feel the after affects for another day, or more, depending on the dosage. It is almost impossible to pass as normal on C's. you look like a zombie and will often bleed from any oraphis. parents that do not notice something is wrong with a child that has slurred speech, bloodshot eyes, throws up randomly, and sleeps frequently... need a wake up call.also. DXM has not been tested extenively, and users/fans interested in the drug are mainly curious as to its psychological effects---DXM users report intense psychological "plateaus" of thinking when on the substance, similar to that of acid users.

At 9:47 AM, Anonymous said…
triple c is fun unless u take too many then u get i take 8 to 12 at a time i havent died last friday i took 28 im still here the most ive popped is 40 im not dead or sick or any thing so i dont think this story is true

At 9:51 AM, Anonymous said…
ive popped 40 im still here last friday i took 28 still here friday im going to steal more

At 2:23 AM, Anonymous said…
Man, that is horrible. I'm not going to lie, I've taken triple c's before. Only twice, and now I definitely know for a fact that I won't do it ever again. The first time was an experiment, I was willing to do it with my friend to see if I would like it. My friend had already done it quite a few times, so it didn't really have as much of an effect on him. I took 8 and sat down in my living room. After about 30 minutes my eyes felt like they were crossing by themselves....things weren't just blurry, everything was doubled. I laughed to myself at first, because even though I was only a few feet away from my friend, I couldn't tell what he looked like. I couldn't even see any of his facial features. His face was just a random white blob. I laughed to myself, and then kept on sitting there in silence. Next thing I knew, I felt sedated to the point where it seemed like I was slowly dying. I was too weak and tired to move. My friend walked up to me and whispered to me ''Hey dude are you high?'' And it took me literally 30 seconds to say ''Oh my God....I'm so high''. I finally stood up and got the hang of talking. I stuttered uncontrollably and I couldn't even feel the words come out when I spoke. Whenever I sat back down, I was a bit sobered up, but it was the grossest feeling ever. I pretty much didn't know anything. I felt retarded. My body felt like a piece of sh*t. I didn't like it. I don't see the enjoyment that others associate with getting high on triple c's. Maybe they experience different things than I did. If educating young teenagers about the negative effects of triple c overdose doesn't help with the problem of overdose among adolescents, then I don't know what will.And also, I feel the need to say a few things to whoever posted this:''ive popped 40 im still here last friday i took 28 still here friday im going to steal more''and this:''triple c is fun unless u take too many then u get i take 8 to 12 at a time i havent died last friday i took 28 im still here the most ive popped is 40 im not dead or sick or any thing so i dont think this story is true''^^^^ Are you f*ckin retarded? How old are you? First of all, it's pretty obvious that you're full of sh*t. And even if what you said was true, it wouldn't mean that it's safe to do it. It's pretty much like saying ''I ran around and played on the highway blindfolded and I didn't get killed, so it'll never happen.'' And why don't you think this story is true? Just because you ''took 40 one time and youre not dead or sick or anything''? You're a dumb f*ck, you know that? Why would someone lie about something like the death of an innocent 16 year old girl who overdosed on triple c's? Not everybody has to lie for attention like you, you f*cking dickhead. I hope YOU overdose and die, you f*ckin' little cunt.

At 1:10 AM, Anonymous said…
I'm 15 years old and last night I tried triple C's. I had bought 2 boxes of triple C's at the grocery store (without an ID I might add) and I popped 12 over an hour, I started with 7, but then I was impatient and I took 8, then my impatience got the best of me so I took 4 more. I got a little high but I fell asleep before the pills had reached the full effect. I fell asleep at around 3, my father woke my friend and I at 7 and despite my disbelief, I was trippin' balls, I was seeing shapes on my ceiling. I just stayed on the couch and acted like I was just really tired and I shut my eyes again to get my dad away, I woke up again at 4 pm, yes that is very late but I have always been an anti-morning person, but anyway I thought I was sober but when I stood up I got extremely dizzy. I was very irritable, everyone pissed me off, even my girlfriend, it wasnt until I saw her crying that I realized that my irritation was caused by the pills. I tried this drug because I was looking for an alternative drug to take, a drug that I dont have to smoke or roll. I'm a pothead, straight up, its organic, its green, and its a great trip. Unfortunately I was recently caught smoking about a month ago, and my smoking days were put to a hault. Marijuana stays in your sytem for up to a month, and my parents threats of getting me tested were reason enough for me to quit. I might do it again, but not any time soon, I might pop c's again, but not any time soon. I think Im just going to drink for now. All my friends smoke and we have recently stopped hanging out because they usually smoke and I feel really left out.

At 6:47 AM, Anonymous said…
Am 18 , I do triple c's almost everyday I also smoke pot with it. I have very slugish acts after the pill wear off. I take at least 16 a day yes the high is great but what it is doing to your mind is bad... Makes you feel stuip cant walk well your eyes are WIDE and dylated like f*cking crazy. I have done X and thats what it feels like after 16 pills. DONT THINK YOU IN CONTROL WITH YOUR BODY WHILE ON THE PILLS YOUR NOT!

At 1:19 PM, Anonymous said…
Hey guys, I really hope you all read this. This past weekend, I od'd on Tripple C's. I decided it'd be cool to "trip," as if i were on acid or whatever, which is what i was told it's somewhat like. However, little did i know, i have a heart murmur. And guys, these are high blood pressure pills. Everyone else was smokin pot, i thoguht it would be cool to trip tripple c's. I took five, nothin happend, (I didn't give enough time). So i took FIVE MORE. This is TEN tripple c's. I'm an 18 yr old 115 lb girl. I laid down in the bed and my legs went numb. I was like "Yes this is awesome." Then I hear a guy say "i'm going to turn into a spider." this is what sent my trip to shit. I started screaming and curling into a little ball on the bed sayin "no no please dont please i'm scared of spiders." they walked me to the couch and thought i was "over reacting" but i wasn't. It was real. My cousin got in my face and jokingly said "quit being a baby" then i saw his face swirl around in multi color repeating "quit being such a baby" everything seemed so real. When i laid down on the couch I was saying "look at all the stars here in outerspace, i can touch every single one of them" And then i scream "OMG IM GETTING SUCKED INTO A BLACK HOLE" and i felt my body go to shit, EVERYTHING went haywire. I got hot so fast and immediately started throwing up. When my cousin got my mom to me, i couldn't talk. I didn't know where i was, who i was, NOTHING. She took me to the ER and my blood pressure was at stroke stage, then it would bottom out. My temp would go from 104 to 96 over and over. I would just lay in the bed and ask the nurses and my mom and family if i was dead and in hell. Because i honestly believed it. They gave me an iv to make me throw up to get it out of me. I was tripping so bad i didn't know what the blood pressur cuff was on my arm. I made my mom take all my clothes off of me because i didn't know what they were and it was th eonly way to keep me calm. If i was scared, i would trip and think i was shrinking. The doctor told me i was lucky to walk away from it, and lucky my liver didn't quit on me. I almost died because of ONLY TEN TRIPPLE C's. Please, guys, dont do them.

At 9:07 PM, Anonymous said…
Triple C is fun and all but after this past weekend im not sure if I want to do it again. This past friday I went to a concert with my friend and I gave him 8 and I took 8. i have taken them before, a few times. The trip is so much fun. The next day you feel it still & the colors of everything are very vivid and you feel just calm, just everything is chill. But anyways so we took them and went to the concert. After about two hours he was going crazy and having a great time. But me, I was just sitting down not feeling anything wondering why it wasnt working. It was because I was sitting down, to get the full effect you have to be and walking or doing something. As soon as we left it started to kick in. After I got dropped off at my house there were tons of lights in front of my house. I didnt realize until i got closer that they were cop cars and tons of them. It turns out my older brother had done a hit and run. It didnt sink in though that there were tons of cops at my house! My mom was explaining the situation to me and I just spun around the house, and she said she saw me kissing a wall. I was really fucked up from the 3 C. She sent me to bed very disppointed , but i wouldnt tell her what I did and she didnt know. She thought it was XTC. But it was really Triple C. The next day I slept in and was still feeling it when I woke up. My friend and I decided to take some (a different friend) and it hadnt even been 24 hours since I last took the last 8 that I had taken before the concert! After it started to kick it her face was doubled and it was crazy; it feels like you are drunk & when you walk up stairs it feels like you are lifted up. I like to stare at a fan when Im on it because its the most beautiful thing ever. It spins and makes a tie-dye color. But back to the point. As usual it was very fun and I loved the high. But the next morning we had to get up early and that was a big drag. We both took a shower and while I was taking mine, all of a sudden out of nowhere I felt really sick. and I mean REALLY sick. I hadnt eaten anything because when your on it you dont feel the need to eat. But I still wanted to vomit. then my world got dark and I could only see the outlines of things. I knew I was about to black-out but I could barely comprenhend that much and Im surprised I did. I stumbled out of the shower and could barely think enough to put a towel on. My friends mother asked what was wrong and I told her I was about to black out or pass out. My whole body was numb and I heard a sharp ringing through my ears. I laid down and after a few mintues everything was back to normal. This has never happened to me before and it scared me. I love the high I get off of triple but Im not sure if it is worth it. Its addicting and it makes me addicted to reserch it and that is why im here.Everyone who has posted something on here was on this page for a reason. They were looking up something about triple C. So to the people who said they want more and think this is bull, you read it and were directed to this page for a reason. Are you having doubts? I know i am thats why Im on this page.Triple C is stupid if you think about it. But we are teenagers and want to experiment and we will. No matter what people tell us. Im sorry to hear about this death and its ashame they have this stuff out on the market without a perscription. But at the same time how can you expect us not to want to try it. It is amazing. But really we shouldnt do it. So then why do we continue to do it. Criticize me if you want, but im speaking the truth.Thanks for reading.

At 9:35 AM, Anonymous said…
when i was 15 i started to take coricidin cough and cold medicine i woould take 16 or 18 usually everytime i did it. i would typically do it 3 or 4 times a week for about a year. it's very hallocinative, my friends and i believed one night sitting infront of an old radio with lots of knobs on it that we were on a space ship on the moon...i still laugh about it because to me and my friends it was just dumb teenagers having fun. but i do know of someone who took 62 and was comatose for 3 days and did nothing but stare into space...we didn't do anything about it but what should we have done we were teenagers and scared he turned out to be fine but we then discontinued use of the triple c's...now just thinking about them, red skittles, or even seeing the box makes me get a sick feeling in my stomach...i now know that they were a very stupid thing to do but we were just kids just like this girl and i'm very sorry to hear that she lost her life for such a stupid thrill but i think more teenagers should be aware of these over the counter drugs that have such serios affects if abbused...i'm now 19 years old and no i'm not perfect but i have learned to make better judgements and i look back on some of those times where i was completly unaware of what was going on and i couldn't speak straight i'd say things twice like, "you you" or "like like" and even in my face you could tell i was messed up the corners of my mouth would slope down like all of my mussels were relaxed. to all of you teenagers out there that all might sound fun and intising but trust me and can have long term affects on your organs i've constantly had problems with aches and pains nausea..i've had tests and cat scans recently and they all like back to stupid drugs i've taken and i dedicate triple c's to doing the most harm because i took them for sucha a long time and they are really harsh on your body so please be smart don't try them they do so much more harm than anytype of good or plessure!!!!

At 10:22 PM, DONT BE STUPID said…
I am 17 years old and was introduced to Tripple C's about 3=5 months ago. I really really like the hight that they give me and im pretty sure that im not going to quit. I take tripple c's whenever I get the chance. I always go to Wal Mart and steal a box or two every time. I take 12 pills and then an hour later I take the other 4 (16). DO NOT TAKE TRIPPLE C'S IF YOUR ARE NOT AWARE OF THEM!!! If you are going to take them start slow. Yes they are addicting so DO NOT take them all the time. By the way the OD Limit is from 18-25. All though my little brother tried to kill himself he took 48 of the pills and survived. I was so pissed at him that i didnt know what to do. Im not telling you to stop taking tripple c's, all im saying is be smarter about it. If you have a bad feeling about it then dont do it. If you think you are going to OD then you should go to your bathroom and make yourself throw up. And dont take more than 16 of them. Im not going to quit tripple c's. In fact I am on them right now and have 16 more in my room. They are extremely addicting and you shouldnt mess with them. Im addicted to them and will probly be taking them for the rest of my life. Or until they become illegal.

At 5:27 PM, Anonymous said…
Im 17 and last night I experienced the effect from Triple C. The high is crazy 6ut I will tell you I will never touch them again. After awhile I took 14 then was jumped into a local gang 6ut 6efore I got jumped I took 2 more so I took a total of 16 last night. I kept thinking I was in some sort of video game, I thought at any second I was going to die and I didn't really enjoy the high after thinking to much of dieing. I dont recommend taking Triple C's, I dont care who you are or how many things you have done it isnt worth the risk of almost dieing. Last night I couldnt sleep for the longest time and right now my pupols are still huge and I am still feeling some of the effects. I just want the effects to stop. Thats all I have to say, I will never do Triple C or anything else like that ever again.

At 6:54 PM, Anonymous said…
My cousin has been takin triple c's for about 2 years now and shes only 15. I found her one day layin in a ditch with throw up comin out of her mouth and she was barely breathing. I had to take her to the hospital. She had OD'd on triple c's i later found out. I CANT STAND those pills!! I'm 18 years old and my cousin is like my little sister...i really thought i almost lost her. I think she told me she took like 30 or so. I was pissed. To all of u people out there who think its "cool" to take those damn triple c's... YOU ARE STUPID. U could be that person lying in a ditch somewhere ODing on triple c's an if no one knew where u were,cuz u prolly lied to ur parents bout where u were, u would prolly be chokin on ur own puke. so u go ahead and get an AWESOME high, but u better make it pretty damn awesome cuz u never know when ur guna take ur last breath in that ditch.

At 1:56 PM, DXM FEIND said…
FOR ALL YOU OUT THER WHO DON'T KNOW WHAT DXM DOES TO YOU HERE GOES. YOUR BRAIN SWELLS UP MASIVLEY, THEN IT DOES ENOUGH BRAIN DAMAGE TO YOU THAT A 6 DAY DRINKING BINGE DOES TO YOU. SORRY TO TELL YOU ALL. i still love it.

At 9:33 AM, Anonymous said…
damn these are some crazyy stories. i had a friend that had taken 127 Triple C's and died for 10 min. he came back alive. he will not touch them to this day. me and my friends are poppin them today. but i think this is gonna be the last time i take them! im poppin 8 and so are my friends we all never taken them b4. we gonna smoke weed and maybe drink hopefully we dont get to fcuked up!

At 9:52 AM, Anonymous said…
i have oded on those but they are so addicteing and i cant stop taking them

At 9:57 AM, Anonymous said…
i have taking 42pills and oded i was dead 4 5min they brought me back to life and i still keep doing them i love them but i know whats going to happen if i keep doing themsincerleyCLOUD 9

At 12:58 AM, Anonymous said…
Im 17, up until about a few months ago I took triple c's on a regular basis....almost everyday since I was 14. I consider myself extreamly lucky. all these kids need to realize what DXM does to you. In my personal oppinion, along with many other people Ive talked to, triple c's are right up there with heroin and cocaine. I thank god everyday that I was taken to the hospital after ODing. I was told that if I wouldve taken 3 more pills, I would have been dead. and at that time. I only took 10, and the scary part is, I was thinking about taking 15, but my gut somehow told me not to. Every pill that is taken doesnt go away after your high is gone, it sits in your stomach, and it eats at your liver until theres nothing left. I suggest to anyone that takes these, find something else, and not another drug. theres things in this world that can create natural high's for each individual. for me, its playing music, and performing. to me, nothing is better, theres things like that for everone. find it. Ive had 3 friendships crumble, because of these things, and along with that, other things have gone wrong. Ill tell you one thing, if they werent around, I would still have the best group of friends in the world. there was 7 of us....now there is 3 but really, I only have one. My only friend who Ive known since the 2nd grade...and it almost tore us apart too....these things are not worth it, at all!and if anyone doubts me one bit...then god help you.

At 6:31 AM, Anonymous said…
im sry for the lost of ur friend ive came so close to losing my girl friend b/c i just couldnt stop and i finally relized that i love her way more than the drug and ive been sober for 2 months but to anybody tht is reading this and is doing it im telling you u need to quiet b/c drugs do nothing for you execpt make you lose the people closest to you and you dont need drugs to have a good time you know i mean when ever i feel like doing it when i with a whole bunch of people i just tell myself naw man ur good uve got ur girlfriend wht else more do you need and again im really sry that u lost ur friend like tht i know how it feels ive lost alot of people to overdoses and it sux but i would like you to know that god is watching over you and hes always got his guardian angels watching over you so dont feel like your alone b/c your not god is always with you dont forget that

PMA ECSTASY DEATH

2007-05-08T00:58:00.000-07:00

Manly Daily (Australia)
May 5, 2007 SaturdayAnnabel's legacy; Annabel's legacy to high schoolSECTION: Pg. 1LENGTH: 461 words

ANTONY Catt will never forget the telephone call that changed his life.
There was a shaky voice on the phone - he was from intensive care at Mona Vale Hospital but could not find the words to explain the devastating news.
The task was passed to Peter Catt who instead had to find the words to tell his son.
''Dad told me Annabel had taken ecstasy and that she was gone,'' Antony Catt told more than 400 students at Narrabeen Sports High School yesterday.
''I told both my parents that I loved them and they said how much they loved me. The phone call was very brief, none of us really knew what to say,'' he said.
''That is how the nightmare began.''
Yesterday, Anthony used the tragedy that ripped through his family to warn the students of the dangers of taking drugs.
Annabel, 20, died after taking ecstasy at the Good Vibrations music festival on February 17.

''She thought it was ecstasy but it wasn't - it was the far more toxic substance PMA,'' he said. ''Drug manufacturers sometimes pass PMA off as ecstasy because the chemicals that go into ecstasy are harder to get.
''The people who made the capsule that killed Annabel knew how deadly it was but they didn't care - they just wanted to make a quick buck, even if it killed someone.''
Annabel died early the following day after suffering violent fits.
The Catt family was at the school yesterday to help Mackellar MP Bronwyn Bishop officially open a refurbished dance room named in Annabel's honour.
Ms Catt was a dancer and a dance teacher. Antony said Annabel was on the organ donor register and the family would have been pleased if her death could have given life to others. But, tragically, only her corneas could be donated.
''Every other part of her body had been so destroyed by the drug rushing through her system that it was useless to anyone else,'' he said.
''It's horrible and it's extremely scary but this is perhaps the best example of how much damage this little capsule can do to your body.
''It wouldn't have mattered if it was the first, second or hundredth time Annabel took ecstasy, the result would be the same - she would be dead. Annabel's death demonstrates that you can experiment with drugs just once and end up in a coffin. What happened to Annabel could happen to anyone.''
The $150,000 refurbishment of the dance studio at the high school came from a federal grant, that Mr Catt said made his family proud.
''Hopefully Annabel's legacy will be there for generations of students to come,'' Mr Catt said .
Mr Catt's father, Peter, said he had anecdotal evidence that young people in the area had similarly been shaken out of their complacency about drugs by his daughter's death. ''Even if it only saves a few lives, it will be worth it,'' he said.

Letter from Tony and Elise Hagmann

2007-04-14T22:48:00.000-07:00

Please send your letter of Support before Tues. March 17, 2007. It can be just a quick please pass SB476. Senator.Romero@senate.ca.gov

Kyle Hagmann was slipped GHB with out his knowledge and died. With the Statute of Limitations for Manslaughter only 3 years the deadline was missed by just 12 days. His death went unpunished.

Dear Senator Romero,
We are writing this letter in strong support of Senate Bill 476 to extend the statute of limitations for manslaughter from three years to ten years in the state of California. Three years for law enforcement to gather facts and investigate crimes is often just not enough time. As in the Brian Gillis case, sadly, we know this to be very true from a personal level.

On April 24, 1999 we lost our only son, Kyle Hagmann, from an overdose of the drug GHB, gamma hydroxy butyrate, provided unknowingly to him by Timothy Meacham. Kyle was an honor student with high aspirations and goals. He was attending California Lutheran University on an academic scholarship and was just awarded an additional departmental scholarship for his high academic standards. He held a 3.9 GPA in his major, Athletic Training and Sports Medicine. Our son was the pride and joy of our lives and had such a bright and promising future.

A lengthy three-year investigation was conducted by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Homicide Department regarding our son’s death. The following statement by the District Attorney summarizes the conclusion of this investigation.

This is a direct quote from Senior Deputy District Attorney James D. Ellison; “California Penal Code 801 provides that any prosecution for an offense punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for less than eight years shall be commenced within three years after commission of the offense. In 1999 possession of GHB carried a three-year maximum sentence, furnishing GHB carried a four- year maximum sentence, and involuntary manslaughter also carried a four-year maximum sentence. Since Kyle died on April 24, 1999, charges needed to be filed by April 24, 2002. The case against Mr. Meacham was submitted to the District Attorney’s Office for review on May 6, 2002, twelve days after the deadline. We are thus precluded from filing any of these charges.”

It has been heart wrenching for us to accept this outcome, knowing that the person directly responsible for our son’s death, would have been held accountable for his actions if this case was submitted twelve days earlier. We feel failed by the system, but more sadly the system also failed Kyle.

We believe Timothy Meacham is also a victim of a failed system. With no consequences for his actions from either the authorities or the university, he had a heavy burden to carry knowing he was responsible for Kyle’s death. He struggled for years, was suicidal and we knew he needed help. In March 2005 he was found dead in his apartment. We and many others believe his death is directly related to his involvement in Kyle’s death.

It is too late for our family and the Gillis family to find justice. We will forever be victims of a system in need of reform. Extending the statute of limitations for manslaughter is a small but important step. Please support Senate Bill 476 so no other family will ever have to be told it’s too late to prosecute a criminal responsible for their child’s death.

Respectfully yours,

Anthony Hagmann
Elise Hagmann

Please send an email in support of this bill to:
Senator.Romero@senate.ca.gov
and
Senator.Hollingsworth@senate.ca.gov

We Need Your Help! Yes You!

2007-04-14T18:26:00.000-07:00

Californians, please Support SB 476

I'll make this easy: There's an important hearing in Sacramento on Tuesday (April 17) at 9:30 regarding SB 476, a measure to extend the Statute of Limitations for manslaughter from three years to 10 years. Dems are attempting to stonewall the bill, but anyone interested in law, justice and rational responses to crime should support it.At the bottom of this post, I'll put a sample letter and an email address to send it to. Do it right away because the hearing is Tuesday.

Here's why it's important, as explained by Thomas A. Smith, a professor at the University of San Diego Law School:

I am writing this letter to express my strong support for SB 476. Extending the statute of limitations [SOL] for manslaughter to 10 years, as SB 476 would do, is an important reform of the criminal law in California and is long overdue.

While it would not lead to the incarceration of many criminals in absolute terms, those that would be imprisoned under this law would be particularly dangerous offenders from whom California's citizens should be protected. A three or five year SOL for manslaughter is a relic from an earlier time. In a world where people move quickly within the state and around the country, the model of investigation in which everyone who knows about a crime can be quickly interviewed and the truth arrived at, is obsolete.
Furthermore, the crowded dockets of the courts and the increasing complexity of the civil laws mean that easily years can elapse before civil suits, which may reveal facts crucial to criminal homicide investigations, are settled or completed.

This happened in the case of Brian Gillis, whose tragic homicide is the motivation for this bill. The facts in his case only emerged as a result of the civil litigation, which lasted nearly three years. The office of the district attorney with jurisdiction over this case assured Brian's mother that they were waiting for the civil suit to be completed before they pursued the criminal investigation. Evidence did in fact emerge in the civil suit which could have been the basis for a manslaughter or even a murder prosecution, but by this time, the statute had nearly lapsed.
With limited resources, and little time left on the statute, the DA elected not to pursue the case. Facing such short time limits, law enforcement officials have the incentive to give up pursuing difficult cases even when serious offenses such as homicides are involved. Such short statutes of limitation also give defendants and witnesses implicated in wrongdoing every incentive not to cooperate with any investigation, civil or criminal.

That is what appears to have happened in Brian's case, and why his killers may now relax, confident in their belief that the State of California cannot touch them. Brian's mom can tell you who killed her son, but they are now beyond the reach of the criminal law. Unless SB 476 is passed into law, there is no reason to think the same thing will not happen again to some California mother.
Manslaughter is a catch all provision that covers all but the most culpable homicides. The facts in Brian's case suggest crimes on the border between manslaughter and Second Degree Murder. For crimes such as these, ten years in an entirely appropriate statute of limitations, because of the gravity of offenses involved. While criminal defendants deserve speedy justice, crime victims deserve justice as well. Extending the statute of limitations for manslaughter is a small but important step in that direction.

It is also, frankly, the very least that the State of California can do for a grieving mother who lost her son, and whose killers are free, even as the record of the civil trial explains who are responsible for Brian's death. The bill will not help in Brian's case, but at least it will make it more difficult in the future for those guilty of manslaughter to avoid justice by running out the clock.

There's more to this: It's important to support SB 476 in order to tell Democrats like Senator Gloria Romero, who chairs the committee hearing the bill, to stop holding up any bill that could impact prison overcrowding. Unless you agree that the message criminals should get is that they should go ahead and commit crimes because you they be prosecuted and jailed, and unless you agree that people like the killers of Brian Gillis should go unpunished,

Send in the letter below:

Senator Dennis Hollingsworth, Senator.Hollingsworth@senate.ca.gov
Senator Gloria Romero, Senator.Romero@senate.ca.gov
R.E: Support Senate Bill 476

Dear Senator Hollingsorth and Senator Romero:

I am writing to urge your support for the enactment of SB 476, which would extend the statute of limitations for manslaughter to 10 years. While the bill will not lead to the incarceration of many criminals in absolute terms, those that would be imprisoned under this law would be particularly dangerous offenders from whom California's citizens should be protected.

Two phenomenon argue for a longer statute of limitations for manslaughter. First, today's society is extremely mobile, making it harder for investigators to track down witnesses and suspects. Second, crowed civil court dockets delay these cases, which can turn up evidence that can support manslaughter charges, beyond three years.

We must put the citizens of California and the victims of crime first, well ahead of concern about prison overcrowding. Support SB 476!

Water Intoxication

2007-04-02T20:59:00.001-07:00

Here is the News today about a woman who died from drinking too much water! What I wonder about this is was The Wii Company in any way behind this contest? Did they know this was going to be done?

No charges in deadly water intoxication case
By Christina Jewett - Bee Staff Writer
Published 5:18 pm PDT Monday, April 2, 2007

The Sacramento County District Attorney's office has declined to file any criminal charges in the water-drinking death of a Rancho Cordova mother of three.

Jennifer Lea Strange, 28, died after participating in a "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" contest in the break room of 107.9 KDND (The End). During the contest, she drank nearly two gallons of water, placing second in a contest to ingest as much water as possible and refrain from urinating.

After complaining of light-headedness at the radio station, she was found dead in her home hours later. Sacramento coroner's officials determined that she died of water intoxication.

A press release from the prosecutors office says the behavior of the radio station staff did not rise to the level of criminality and noted that Strange was free to leave the contest site.

"There were no observable indications or symptoms that Jennifer Strange was experiencing a serious medical emergency which would have required station employees to seek or administer medical aid to her," the statement says.

Civil attorney Roger Dreyer said he will continue to go forward with a lawsuit seeking wrongful death damages from the radio station.

Ex Says Spears Almost Died From Ecstasy

2007-03-18T21:48:00.000-07:00

United Press reports:

Pop singer Britney Spears, now in a California rehabilitation center, abused drugs and nearly overdosed three years ago, her first husband said in an interview.

Jason Alexander, who was married to Spears for 55 hours, said he is bringing up her past because he doesn't want to see Spears dead.

"It freaked me out when I saw she had shaved off her hair; that was clearly a cry for help," Alexander, 25, said in an interview with the Sunday Mirror of London and reprinted in the New York Daily News. "She needs help."

Spears is at Promises, a Malibu Calif., drug and alcohol rehabilitation center.

Alexander said in the interview he had trouble keeping up with her drug use.

One time Spears nearly overdosed fatally on pure ecstasy as they partied in Las Vegas, Alexander said in the Sunday Mirror interview. She fell unconscious to the floor and he put her in the shower to revive her, he said.

"She wasn't moving," Alexander told the Daily Mirror. "I remember looking down at her all crumpled in the tub with the water coming down. She looked so white and lifeless. I thought she was dead."

If this story is true, Spears is lucky to be alive. Many Ecstasy victims have died when friends put them in showers or out in the cold. Call 911 is someone you know is in distress from Ecstasy or any drug. Don't take chances.

Death by Meth: A Poem

2007-02-11T22:08:00.000-08:00

Kerry Dale Hancock Jr. sent me this powerful poem:

Death By Meth

today I have met my match
piece by piece I was broken down
now I am tormented by failure and wrath
and my will power is no where to be found

the wounds have forever scarred my soul
with the bitter taste of death
because everything I cherished most
fell victim to my addiction to meth

in complete ignorance I made the awful choice
to smoke that demonic pipe regardless of the voice

that so strongly told me not too
but I thought I had the power to overcome
realize once this drug has got you
a slave to misery is what you become

i write every word in agony
i am scared to sleep or rest
because then I must face reality
i chose death by doing meth

family has become memories
just pictures of my past
i am now my worst enemy
my reflection is broken glass

clouds shadow my every breath of life
i cannot find the words to describe
the aches and pains I endure inside
and all I can say is why

oh, how sad it really is
to watch a Godly man be destroyed
Lord have mercy on my kids
three beautiful girls and a handsome boy

to all that I love I leave you with this
please forgive me for my weakness
that real love I will always miss
I give you these words with a hug and a kiss

Oxycontin Ends a Young Life

2006-10-14T00:19:00.000-07:00

Here's a story that broke my heart:

Kai Hoeckel was dead. He was found one morning last week, cold to the touch, lying on a futon at his father's home in Grove City.

The toxicology report is not back yet, but there's a good chance the prescription drug OxyContin killed him.

He was 23.

As the word spread through the Rotary clubs and the mothers' circles around Englewood, it unleashed a flood of reactions: disbelief, fear, introspection, anger, determination and -- always underlying the others -- a gripping pain.

Kai was the kid who made crazy potions when he was young. He was the boy with the mischievous smile on his face at second base in Little League. He was the young man everyone liked.

Yes, after graduating from high school, he had fallen under the spell of drugs. He had spent time in the hospital. He had spent time in jail. In May, he had overdosed on his favorite drug, the addictive painkiller, OxyContin.

But that's not who he was. He had kicked the habit. At the end of the summer, he was talking about the future, about continuing on the career path of his mother, Carroll Swayze, an artist. Kai was going to blow glass in Fort Myers or enroll in the Pennland School of Crafts in North Carolina.

Then, suddenly, he was dead.

Friends gathered at Swayze's home in north Englewood. They looked for answers when there really are none.

The parents among them could not shake a disturbing thought. If drugs can consume a handsome, talented, funny young man who had no intention of killing himself and everything to live for, how safe are their own children?

Everyone, it seems, has a story to tell about someone they know who is on drugs or has died from them. These drug users are not pathetic losers with parents who don't care. These are the sons and daughters of contractors, attorneys and teachers, of honest, hardworking, contributing members of society.

And behind each of these stories is a family that is suffering terribly from their loss. Here's that part of this story:

Swayze tried to help her son. She hired a drug therapist and counselor to come to the house. He had long talks with Kai, who freely admitted his addiction and wanted to shake it.

In desperation after his overdose in May, Swayze took Kai out of town, way out of town. The two went to a secluded area of Michigan where Swayze markets her artwork in the summer. There, Kai flourished. He helped Swayze at shows. He produced bronze pieces that sold well. He worked as a carpenter on two cabins. As usual, he made friends who wanted him to stay.

"We had such a great summer," Swayze says. "It was the first time I wasn't afraid. He had a problem, and this summer was the first time he faced the problem. He did it willingly. Not a moment was I nervous about him. The whole time, he was like the little boy I raised."

Finally, it was time to come home. Swayze says they talked about it, and Kai said, "Mom, we can't stay here forever."

They returned Sept. 7. A little more than two weeks later, Kai was dead.

People want to do something, but they're not sure what. Meanwhile, parents with kids who have stuck around after high school live in fear. One said she interrogates her son when he gets home. Where was he? Who was he with? When she hears an unfamiliar name, she rushes to the computer and pores through online records. She's a nervous wreck because he wants to share an apartment with a friend. No one should have to live like that.

There's no bringing Kai Hoeckel back. And there's no foolproof manual telling us how to comfort his mother or make ourselves feel better or where to go from here. Maybe his death will spur a flurry of action that will save someone else. That's about the best we can hope for.

And, Swayze sees a lesson in her personal tragedy.

"You have to see the good in every day," she says. "Savor every moment. I don't think people realize what they have. A friend called from Virginia Beach the other night. 'What do you want me to do?' she asked. "I said, 'Just go hug your son.'"

How sad.

The story also includes this very interesting analysis of why drug deaths are so under-reported:

The drug problem in this area is not exaggerated. In fact, it is understated. Drug deaths often do not make the news as drug deaths. In the newspapers, we read only that a young man or woman has been found dead and that foul play is not suspected.

By the time a toxicology report comes back four months later, the death is old news, especially if it does not involve a prominent person or a separate crime. Unless we know the family, we never make a positive link between the death and drugs.

But ask most young people working around town. They know the real score. Drugs are readily available, their friends are doing them, and they can rattle off the names of those who have died because of it.

How I wish these kids whose name the "rattle off" had seen my Voice of the Victims films, so they could have made better choices and be more than sad memories today.

Source: Eric Ernst in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Another Triple C DXM Death

2006-09-29T00:52:00.000-07:00

This was posted on the Dr. Phil message board site. It was posted by a woman who would like to get the word out, DXM is dangerous and we need to all warn our kids. Please read this and pass it on to others. This is just so sad! The kids really think this is safe! Please tell them it isn't. Thank you,Beth
Tragedy Strikes Again
I'm writing to share with you a terrible thing that I have experienced last Sunday through today and hope that you can
spread a message for us. The pain that we, her family and friends are feeling right now is indescribable, and the worst part, so needless. My daughter's friend, whom she to went to school with since kindergarten, died early last Sunday morning. She was 16 years old. We have known her family since the girls met at Catholic School and kept in touch, saw them at church and school functions, birthday parties, etc. They
carpooled together their freshman year. She was probably the most
popular girl I have ever met, loved by the girls as well as the boys, a super soccer and la crosse player. She was just beautiful with big blue eyes, long blond hair.

Last Monday, she took 24 'triple C' pills. Triple C is plain old
cough, cold, codeine over the counter pills we give our children when they are sick. Triple C is the new high for teenagers. She was not angry, unhappy or anything else. She was not a drug user. She just wanted to get high and heard this was a fun and easy way to do it. When she began vomiting Tuesday morning and couldn't stop, her parents took her to Children's Hospital in Orange. Although she text messaged a friend on Monday night about what she had done, she didn't tell the doctors, the nurses, or her parents. Neither did her friend or any of the other friends who were forwarded the text message. For four days, test after test was being done to figure out what was wrong. Still no one said anything. On Friday, she slipped into a coma and was given last rites before being flown to UCLA Medical Ctr
on Saturday morning. Her liver had completely failed and she passed at 2:30 a.m.

The Memorial Service yesterday at La Purisima was the saddest day I have ever spent. The church was full (it holds 1200), several hundred teens alone. To see her in that white coffin weighing 25# or so more than her tiny self and looking years older because she was full of toxins was a sobering sight for those kids. As that little coffin was rolled down the church aisle today flanked by her brother and cousins, followed by her grieving aunt, grandmother and parents, I swear the whole church was sobbing. Her poor dad was taken to St Joe's at the conclusion of the church service for a potential heart attack (his third) and missed the 16 white doves let at the graveside. If this girl had known how many people loved, adored her...I know she didn't think taking all those pills would kill her, just give her a high, make her feel good for awhile. I know if she could have seen all those people with so much pain in them these last days,
she would have thought twice about putting those pills in her mouth. These kids think they are invincible, that death cannot touch them at 16. They just have no idea. I had never heard of 'triple C' being used as a high or 'huffing' which is opening the cold capsule and snorting it. But when I asked around, all the kids were very aware of the term and the high. If each one of us tells one person about this story, and that person tells someone else, and they tell someone, and so forth, maybe we can help some other teen avoid dying so needlessly, avoid ruining their parents’ lives, hurting their friends and family.

GHB: "The World's Worst Drug"

2006-08-06T01:12:00.000-07:00

This article from Australia shows why I really feel the need to make a film about the dangers of GHB:

Gamma hydroxybutyrate -- known on the street as GHB or fantasy -- is popular in the nightclub, rave and dance scene, particularly on the Gold Coast, studies reveal.

Often sold as ''liquid ecstasy'' even though it's a very different kind of drug, GHB can be cheaper than alcohol and, because it leaves the system quickly, users normally escape hangovers.

Dr Paul Dillon, chief research officer at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, says the other main appeal to users is the drug's effects in making people sexually uninhibited. ...

But users are playing Russian roulette every time they take the drug, usually sold as a clear, odourless liquid in 5ml-7ml doses.

''Its potential for overdose is frightening,'' Dr Dillon says. ''Most drugs have a reasonable difference between the amount needed for a good time and finding yourself in the emergency room, but in the case of GHB the gap is tiny.''

As little as 2ml difference can put users in a coma. And the quality of GHB is notoriously erratic, so even regular users easily miscalculate.

A 2003 study by the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre showed half of all GHB users had overdosed at least once, and one-third at least three times.

A Queensland study by the centre last year found more than a quarter of ecstasy users had also taken GHB, 13 per cent within the previous six months. That was more than twice the rate for the previous two years, and well above the national level of nine per cent.

With more than 700,000 young Australians using ecstasy each year, that means GHB is also widespread.

A Ritalin Abuse Death

2006-08-06T00:39:00.000-07:00

I talked to a young man tonight who's brother died from Ritalin abuse. He said the prescription stimulant attacked his brother's heart, weakening it. That led to risky heart surgery, and his brother died on the operating table.

"He died during heart surgery, but it was Ritalin that killed him," he said, adding that Ritalin abuse is common on some college campuses.

This is the first I've heard of this. I did a Nexis search over the last year for stories of Ritalin abuse and death, and all I found was one reference to Ritalin's popularity at "pharm parties," where kids mix prescription drugs in a bowl and wash down mixtures of pills with alcohol.

Mexico's New Drug Law

2006-04-29T23:47:00.000-07:00

My husband posted this on his blog and I thought it was something I should share with you. I've made a few changes to make it fit my blog a bit better, but he's right on with his concern about this new development!

Mexico's New Drug Law

As most of you know, MexPrez Vincente Fox is expected to sign into law a new bill that decriminalizes, as the New York Times reports, possession of up to "5 grams of marijuana, 5 grams of opium, 25 milligrams of heroin or 500 milligrams of cocaine."

That's not accurate. Other drugs, including Ecstasy, are also included in the decriminalization. ...

My wife has made a film that chronicles what happened to four families because of the casual -- not big time addictive, but "safe casual" -- use of the drugs Ecstasy and Ketamine. In it, she tells the story of Erin, who now struggles painfully to get through life because of a severe brain injury caused by "safe casual" use of Ketamine, an anaesthetic used primarily by vets. (You can meet Erin at the link above; there's a preview.)

The Ketamine Erin took was purchased in Mexico and brought back to California. It was easy for the boy who bought it to accomplish the trick, as you can see from this photo of a Mexican pharmacy. Now the trick will be done with heroin, opium, coke, various methamphetimine drugs and pot.

That's very bad news for our kids.

Some with real addictions will probably just move there to have a steady flow of cheap, legal drugs. By doing that, they'll be farther away from getting the treatment and help they need.

And for thousands of good kids who have come to believe that drugs can be taken safely and aren't that big a deal, trips to Mexico will now frequently include use of drugs that are rightfully illegal here. And with the drugs easy to purchase in Mexico, more of them will be coming home and shared with friends here.

And that, unfortunately, means more risks and more tragedies here at home.

Ecstasy and what kids think about my film!

2006-04-17T12:51:00.000-07:00

Thank you!
I am a School Resource Officer at a High School. I am currently having a problem with Ecstasy use with my students. Atlanta Georgia is now the #1 distribution center for Ecstasy and we are an hour south of there.

I was reviewing your video in my office yesterday and one of my female students walked in and started watching it with me. She was so overwhelmed by the video that after school she told some of her friends about it and they returned after school just to watch the video. I teach a lot of drug education classes and will use your video in them. I teach all the incoming freshmen at Lagrange College every year, I believe that the video will have a huge impact on them.

Thank you very much for your time and energy in putting the video together, it is great!!!

Thank you for caring about your students and ordering the film to show them and hopefully it will help them to make wise choices! (Beth)

www.voiceofthevictims.com

OxyContin

2006-04-14T00:25:00.000-07:00

Anonymous has left a new comment on my earlier post "Meth Poem sent to me:

I wanted to point out that unlike street drugs, OxyContin made by Purdue Pharma a company, purposely distributed oxy-contin to small rural areas at routine dr. visits purposely "to get the ball rolling”.

Now a multi million dollar industry, MASS amounts of these pain pills are available with easy access to the now addicted public. Like any addiction, the people are stopping at nothing to get more pills, stealing, lying, breaking into pharmacies at gunpoint, the usual addicted behavior of a addicted addict. More pills than people in NEED prescribed for pain by FAR.

Basically it's legal drug trade if you think about it...Purdue Pharma paid off employees who were against this horror story, and whatever the price it worked. The people who were against this now continue working for the company and MONEY keeps people quiet, changes morals, and obviously speaks louder than the millions addicted and dying from this pain pills mass distribution.. Purdue Pharma had good intentions??

We need pain pills, this I cannot deny. Suffering from pain is HELL and thank God for pain medications. This company targeted economy stricken little rural areas and handed these out like candy. Pushing I believe is the right term. Once a small company now a multi-million dollar company, and the users get addicted because the pills are easy to get in the street because there are so many distributed.

They are mass produced for the sole intent to make profit. More made than people in NEED by FAR.. Read the book about OxyContin.. It tells the true real story...

What is a parent supposed to do when drugs are legally sold and made in large amounts from a multi-million dollar company that is supposed to be helping cancer patients or severe injury cases for PAIN. And by abusing the drug, these addicts are looked down upon as low life addicts who "abuse the drug”, therefore, what would one expect?

If any drug is abused it’s the drug working against the victim. VICTIM is the key word. Addiction is not all people of low life scum, that the public is led to believe. Lawyers, business men and women, moms, dads, all once upstanding citizens, can fall into addiction and its too late once it takes hold of them.

Because the drug trade tends to be criminal thug run, in this case its a huge business legally operating with research phacilities, doctors, and every day people participating in mass amounts of pain pills distributed for MASS PROFIT as people are seriously addicted, become addicts with criminal behavior to get more pills, and are dying. NOT from the cancer, not from the pain, but from the product that is supposed to be helping these symptoms...

A Sister Cries Out

2006-04-12T19:06:00.000-07:00

Carol has left a new comment on my earlier post "Meth Poem sent to me."

Hi Beth. This poem relates to all these drugs and or anyone with an addiction problem. These drugs use the victim and in most cases, turn an individual into a DESPERATE, unconscious, lying thief.

The only motive is to get high, and they will consume and destroy anyone and everything in the path of destruction
their desperation for the drug takes them.

All that once was, no longer is part of their conscious. I lost my sister to GHB sold over the counter, as a vitamin supplement; she had no idea what poison she was consuming until it was too late. It was a real sick, tragic story that haunts me every single day.

My youngest sister is now hooked on oxycontin. Although she is abusing the drug knowingly, she is NOT even close to the person I once knew.

These drugs destroy eagerly and once addicted, it's hell to be the one still standing in the same place, watching
helplessly as if it were cancer eating away her soul.... I know people who stole necklaces off their dying grandmother’s neck while pretending to give a last kiss. I know a girl who left her baby at the hospital and has no concern to see him but uses excuses (lies) that she is making effort to go see the baby just to
get out the door to get more pills. I know people who use the elderly knowing they are terminal just to befriend them until they pass away and steal all they had.

IT NEVER ENDS! THE EXTREME DESPAIR AND DESPERATE SICK LEVELS THESE DRUGS BRING ONCE WONDERFUL PEOPLE TOO A LEVEL SO LOW IT’S UNBEARABLE. I have been involved in fighting this drug parasite for a long time now and it’s like dominoes. I tried helping those I had any confrontation with all I have in me. I
USED money, time, love, compassion, and I pray, and I pray. It’s not a "good time" taking poison and believing it won’t hurt you or you won’t get addicted.

IF YOU THINK YOU CAN HANDLE IT AND IT WONT HAPPEN TO YOU, CHANCES ARE YOU ARE ALREADY TAKEN. THESE DRUGS WILL TAKE YOU FOR A RIDE AND YOU NO LONGER CAN EVEN RATIONALIZE RIGHT FROM WRONG AND ALL THAT YOU ONCE WERE, WILL BE
CONSUMED AND YOU NO LONGER ARE YOU...

Like me, I want to live my life with my morals, my conscious, and with a desire to maintain my human functions the best I can, as I watch my family decay helplessly I can only ask God to be with us all..

God bless everyone.

Thank you, Carol! Readers, you can see how beautiful Carol's sister was before GHB addiction took her away.

Meth Poem sent to me

2006-01-31T10:30:00.000-08:00

Beth -

I thought you might be interested in this poem written by a meth addicted Indian girl ...

I destroy homes, I tear families apart,I take your children, and that's just the start.

I'm more costly than diamonds, more precious than gold,The sorrow I bring is a sight to behold.

If you need me, remember I'm easily found,I live all around you - in schools and in town

I live with the rich, I live with the poor,I live down the street, and maybe next door.

I'm made in a lab, but not like you think,I can be made under the kitchen sink.

In your child's closet, and even in the woods,If this scares you to death, well it certainly should.

I have many names, but there's one you know best,I'm sure you've heard of me, my name is crystal meth.

My power is awesome, try me you'll see,But if you do, you may never break free.

Just try me once and I might let you go,But try me twice, and I'll own your soul.

When I possess you, you'll steal and you'll lie,You do what you have to — just to get high.

The crimes you'll commit for my narcotic charmsWill be worth the pleasure you'll feel in your arms.

You'll lie to your mother, you'll steal from your dad,When you see their tears, you should feel sad.

But you'll forget your morals and how you were raised,I'll be your conscience, I'll teach you my ways.

I take kids from parents, and parents from kids,I turn people from God, and separate friends.

I'll take everything from you, your looks and your pride,I'll be with you always — right by your side.

You'll give up everything - your family, your home,Your friends, your money, then you'll be alone.

I'll take and take, till you have nothing more to give,When I'm finished with you, you'll be lucky to live.

If you try me be warned - this is no game,If given the chance, I'll drive you insane.

I'll ravish your body, I'll control your mind,I'll own you completely, your soul will be mine.

The nightmares I'll give you while lying in bed,The voices you'll hear, from inside your head.

The sweats, the shakes, the visions you'll see,I want you to know, these are all gifts from me.

But then it's too late, and you'll know in your heart,That you are mine, and we shall not part.

You'll regret that you tried me, they always do,But you came to me, not I to you.

You knew this would happen, many times you were told,But you challenged my power, and chose to be bold.

You could have said no, and just walked away,If you could live that day over, now what would you say?

I'll be your master, you will be my slave,I'll even go with you, when you go to your grave.

Now that you have met me, what will you do? Will you try me or not? It's all up to you.

I can bring you more misery than words can tell,Come take my hand, let me lead you to hell.

Family Watch Dog

2006-01-30T12:10:00.000-08:00

Because my ministry is keeping kids safe, I want to share this wonderful site with all of you. (Beth)
http://www.familywatchdog.us/
Go to this link... click on it and enter your address...it will show a house. That's yours... all the little colored boxes are sex offenders...click on them and you get a name, address & picture of the person along with his crime. Pretty amazing and scary...it shows you where they live in proximity to your home and the local schools.

DXM and DEATH letter written by a Grandmother and Mother

2006-01-30T10:51:00.000-08:00

Here is a letter I received just recently, I asked the family if it would be O.K to post it for others to see and hopefully learn from. Here is her answer and their tragic expericence with DXM.

Dear Beth,
Of course you may post what I wrote about my Grandson's death! Anything I can do to help get the message out that DXM can & will kill you.

Dear Beth,

I came across your website by accident and I am so happy I did. This is the greatest! There should be more web sites like yours.

I have been looking for websites about DXM & deaths. You see my beautiful 17 year old grandson, the light of my life died Jan. 24 2005 of a DXM overdose. His so called friend was selling these capsules for $5.00. Josh Coyle knew that there was a chance that this kill Glenn or anyone else but he neglected to tell my grandson this. Now, he is gone and Josh Coyle was convicted with involuntary manslaughter and is in the Danville, Va jail awaiting his appeal. Josh Coyle was also charged with 7 other counts.

I want so much to tell these children & adults that one night of their so called fun is not worth death and the pain that their families feel after they are gone. If they think this will not happen to them, it can, why take the chance? It is not worth it.
My grandson Glenn Thomas Jr. died a very violent death, his best friend was with him when he died at my mothers home, Glenn had raised about 10 feet in the air before he landed on the floor of his bedroom when he died.

There isn't a day that goes by that I don't cry for my beautiful grandson. The pain I feel has not yet left my heart nor do I feel it ever will. Glenn made a mistake by taking that pill of pure DXM and he paid for it by death. He left behind a sweet 6 year old brother who misses him so much. And a 5 month old son whom he never got to see.

I would like very much for this to get out about how deadly this DXM is. Please the pain is not worth the death of a loved one for a stupid pill.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this.

Ms. Idar Stout
Glenn Thomas's Jr. Grandmother

Dear Beth,

My daughter wrote this letter and I want to share this with you, you may use this also if you think it will help. I call it a Mothers Letter:

Unless you have lost a child, you will never understand. The pain that I live with is indescribable. Everyday that I wake up and all through the day, I relive the last day of my sons life. I relive walking into the emergency room seeing all the personal crowded around my son, hurriedly trying to pump life back into his heart, seeing the nurse in the corner cry because there was nothing left they could do for my child.

I have an everlasting picture in my mind of my sons bloodshot eyes staring blankly back at me. I screamed his name hoping to wake him up, I laid over his cold body wanting to keep him warm.

I held my child for the last time on that day. I touched his thick hair, I held his strong hand, and I told him I loved him in his ear, for the last time.
Glenn has been gone a year and there is not a day that goes by where we don't feel his absence. His 6 year old brother remembers something Glenn had said or did for him and he cries. He says I wish Glenn could come back here one day.
There is a baby boy left behind who will grow wondering about his daddy, a baby boy who will grow up wondering what his daddy was like.
Glenn had a future; he had talent, his beautiful voice and intelligent mind allowed him to be a poet and a songwriter. Up until the end of his life, he was in the recording studio putting out CDs. He sang about what went on in the world, he sang about the war and the unjust of it. He wanted to be heard, he wanted to be known.

My son wanted to live, he loved life. Glenn did not mean to not wake up the next day, he did not mean to traumatize his very best friend, who was with him and found him, who grieves now everyday and who relives Glenn's last day of life over and over.
Glenn's family has a lifetime of suffering; we will forever have eternal loss.

Glenn's Mother

Beth this letter was written to be heard by the court when Josh Coyle was being sentenced.
All this pain and suffering our family carries with us was caused by DXM. Is it really worth it?

Thank you Beth for allowing us to be Glenn's voice. If there is anything I can do please let me hear from you.

Brent Shapiro and his Fiancee

2006-01-20T17:02:00.000-08:00

Just when I think no one cares about what I'm doing, I get an Angel like this person.

• At 10:31 AM, Anonymous said…
I just came across your site. I did not post the earlier comment, but I would love to share with you, the incredible love that Brent and his fiancée shared.

As a long time friend of them both, their relationship was like something straight out of a motion picture. They were a beautiful couple, always laughing, always supporting each other and never apart for more than hours. Brent often said, as he did the week before his passing, in a toast for his fiancées birthday "She turned me from an unhappy, dark, miserable kid, to the happiest man on earth".

Their love was magical to watch and inspired everyone that met them. She was Brent’s rock and he was hers. Brent was sober and happy for the first time in his life because of her. Contrary to popular belief Brent never was sober in his families’ home. He may have been from age 13 and under, but not after that. He embraced sobriety when they moved in together and under their roof. She loved him unconditionally, supported him in everything he ever needed or wanted to accomplish and allowed him to be exactly who he was and he just thrived.

The last memory of them that I have, before her birthday dinner, was when I was having lunch in Beverly Hills with my mom. We saw the two of them walking hand in hand with their dogs down Beverly blvd just laughing and kissing each other. They were too cute. They came over to say hello and showed us the save the date cards that they had just picked up from the printer for their wedding. They also shared with my mom and me these silly Halloween toys they had just purchased for their dogs. He also showed us a new tattoo he had just gotten of his fiancées entire face on his leg. They each had each others names on their ankles with an eternity symbol and they each had their wedding date tattooed on the side of their foot. He had gone out one night, told her he would be back soon and came home with this tattoo of her face on the back of his leg. It was incredibly done and looked just like her. She was beaming as she always did around him.

My mom had never met Brent and instantly commented as they walked away, what a beautiful couple they made. They just exuded happiness and love and were so grateful for one another. Brent had no problem expressing his love to her to his guy friends, total strangers, anyone who would listen. He was grateful for her love, told her he loved her constantly and as she said at his funeral "she was so grateful to have found her prince".

It is important to know that she does not do drugs, condone drugs, the girl barely drinks. Also people should know she did not keep Brent’s drinking a secret. He came to her and to me and to so many and expressed his decision. He felt that he didn’t believe he had a drinking problem, but knew that he had battled drugs in the past and believed them to be, in fact that, a problem of his past. He didn’t ever want to go back to a life where drugs ruled his life and she would have never allowed that to happen. She protected Brent all the time from parties, events, and even his friend’s drug use, anything that would bring drugs close to Brent. She didn’t keep the occasional drink for 2 months that he had a secret. Almost all of Brent’s friends knew of this and most of them had a drink with him. Whether at a sports event, concert or poker game. Brent would have one, max two drinks, would never drive and showed her and all of his friends, that he was in control. He had expressed to many, that he wanted to share his decision with his family and drug counselor, after he could prove by his actions, that he was capable of in fact this, the occasional social drink. If for one minute this ever got out of control, his fiancée or any of us have intervened and showed complete concern. No one ever did because Brent was still doing everything he always had, studying hard, working out and attending his classes that he loved. He was as responsible as he ever was.

That terrible tragic night Brent went from talking with friends to looking as if he was going to be sick. His fiancée asked him if he was alright and he said yes. She and his friends still took him outside to get some air and he began to vomit. She was concerned at how quickly he had gotten sick and called out for someone to call an ambulance.

A medic at the party came rushing out, and from what I have been told by many, took over the entire situation. He sat down with Brent and took his vitals and spoke with him. They were concerned Brent may have taken something because he had gotten so sick so quickly. They expressed this to the medic and he told them to take Brent home, give him water and stay up with him in case he needed to vomit again. He told them that there was nothing the ER could do for them that they couldn’t do at home. He needed water and rest and he would be fine.

Everyone there looked at her like she was crazy and overreacting for wanting to go to the hospital. She didn’t want to be home alone with Brent if he got sick, so she went to a friends house, along with his and her friends, where they all followed the directions of the medic. After talking with Brent, giving him fluids and staying up with him as he rested, he suddenly began to look as if he was going to be sick again and he began choking and he went into cardiac. 911 was called immediately and he fell into a coma at the hospital and passed away the next day.

She is completely devastated, a skeleton of whom she used to be. She walks around in a daze, crying every single day, the only thing that gets her through and I believe has kept her here with us, is her faith in God and a belief that she needs to be here and live out gods will for her, in order for her to be with her beautiful Brent again. That and her friends, family, therapy and their two adorable dogs that she loves and Brent loved more than anything. She also has a mission now to educate people on addiction and relapse, open sober living houses in Brent’s name and do everything she can to keep his memory alive.

She questions her decision of listening to the medic EVERY SINGLE DAY. She lost the love of her life that night. She always says "One minute I was dancing with the guest of honors parents and the next I am in the hospital and saying goodbye to him, I don’t understand".

I don’t even really believe she has accepted it yet. And to top off this horror, every one of Brent’s friends with the exception of 4, have completely abandoned her and blame her for Brent’s death. His family blames her and has done awful things and said awful things about her. It is so tragic and so horrible, the way she has been treated.

It breaks all of our hearts who are close to her, to see such an amazing and sweet girl, go through this and have all of this evilness put on her and to imagine what Brent must be feeling seeing this all occur. She was his life and he was hers. I pray for all of Brent’s friends, family and especially her to make it through this.

I also want to remind people that Brent was an angel on earth. Didn’t have a bad bone in his body, lived life to the fullest and loved more than anyone. They should remember this and live their life with him in their hearts, their memories kept close to them and being good people like Brent was. Not by hurting the one he loved the most. Brent’s death was a tragic, horrible accident.

Please continue to spread the message that ecstasy can and will kill you. Even the smallest amount in your system can take you from the beautiful life you are to live here and the ones that love you the most. Thank you.

Thank you for sharing this with us! If there is anything I can do to help Brent’s fiancée please don’t hesitate to just let me know.
You can also send me a private e-mail, which will stay private too. Beth

ECSTASY HAS DESTROYED MY SON'S LIFE

2006-01-10T19:27:00.000-08:00

HERE IS A COMMENT FROM AN EARLIER POST I WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP TO THE FRONT FOR ALL OF YOU TO READ AND THINK ABOUT! THANK YOU GAYLE! (BETH)

Gayle said...

Ectasy has destroyed my son's life. The use of this drug has been at epidemic proportion for several years now and is being swept under carpets all over this country. No one wants to admit it is a problem in their town.

My son was a very good athlete and was introduced to this drug at a neighborhood party. He began hallucinating and knew something was wrong. An ambulance was called and he was brought to the hospital where he was given Tylenol for his headache and released that same evening and told not to do drugs anymore!! He walked home at 3:00 AM 5 miles and could have been killed because he was so high. He continued to hallucinate for several weeks and finally committed to a psychiatric hospital where he spent the next two months heavily medicated.

It has been four years and he has never been the same. He is on 3 different meds, is 100% disabled, is unable to hold down a job, and is not the same person he once was. He used to be a happy fun-loving kid who made friends easily and was a likeable human being. Despite the medication, he is now unhappy, depressed, irritable, unreasonable, and unmotivated. Hospitals and professionals are ill equipped and not up to date on exactly what this drug does. Psychiatrists are treating their patients with medication that simply doesn't work after an ecstasy drug overdose. I don't know what is going to become of my son at this point. My entire family has been affected by this drug. Young adults need to be bombarded with real life information on this drug in an effort to prevent this from happening to anyone else!
6:30 PM

Dear Gayle,

You are SO RIGHT ON!! It just flips me out how little most people really care about these drugs, and yes, these are the drugs that the kids think are safe, fun, and what's the big deal here about it!! They are tricked into thinking these drugs are not as bad as.... heroin or whatever other drug ... they will name in that place!

And do you know what? As Glen, an undercover narcotics officer says in my film, "The Parents even say, 'Well at least it's not heroin or some other drug,' when in fact ecstasy can be more dangerous than those other drugs!"

I don't do what I do because I'm some anti-drug finatic! I do this because I KNOW our kids need to have a chance to know what can happen. This is not some super safe drug, that maybe used to be legal, so it's really O.K. to take! Ecstasy is not legal, therefore you do not know who is making it, what is in it, and so on!

I am really concerned about the future of our younger generation! How can anyone hold a job if they have no memory? How about the horrible depression?

I would love to hear from more of you out there that care about what is happening to our kids! Please do submit your comments!

Thank you again, Gayle, for sharing with us! You may never know who and how many you have helped, but I can bet you, it's more than you will ever think!

I would love to talk to your son and let him tell everyone what this has done to him. If you would be interested in anything like this, just send me a private e-mail to Beth@voiceofthevictims.com.

Take Care,

Beth

BRENT SHAPIRO COMMENT

2006-01-10T15:48:00.000-08:00

Anonymous said...

I JUST READ ABOUT BRENT. I MET HIM A FEW TIMES, HIS FIANCEE IS MY FRIEND AND MY HEART BREAKS FOR HER AND THE LOSS OF THE LOVE OF HER LIFE.

THEY WERE TO GET MARRIED THIS YEAR. HE WAS HER SOUL MATE . HER LIFE, HER EVERYTHING.

HE WAS CLEAN AND TOOK ONE LITTLE PILL AND SHE LOST HIM FOREVER.

THERE ARE SO MANY STORIES GOING AROUND AS WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM. IT SUCKS UNLESS YOU KNOW THE TRUTH ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED THAT FATE FULL NIGHT HE DIED. BRENT IS FOREVER LOOKING OVER ALL HIS LOVED ONES AND FAMILY NOW.

REST IN PEACE BRENT

Studer- Musladin case Comments

2006-01-08T14:16:00.000-08:00

What's Wrong WIth Our Courts?!
Regular readers know my concern is about drugs that harm our families. I just don't want there to be any more victims of the heartbreak drugs can cause. Of course, there are victims of other crimes, and my heart goes out to them, too. That's why this story, from the San Jose Mercury News, so infuriated me:
Federal court reverses 1995 murder conviction FAMILY PHOTO BUTTONS CALLED INFLAMMATORYBy Howard MintzMercury NewsThe appeals court ruling stems from a fatal May 1994 confrontation in the driveway of Pamela Musladin's mother's home in South San Jose. At the time, Pamela Musladin had been separated for months from her husband and had been living there with the Musladins' 3-year-old son and Studer, a 31-year-old plumber and her fiance.
A federal appeals court on Friday overturned a 10-year-old San Jose murder conviction, finding the defendant did not receive a fair trial because the victim's family was allowed to sit each day in the front row of the courtroom wearing buttons bearing photographs of the victim.
In a 2-1 decision, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Mathew Musladin is entitled to a new trial for the 1994 killing of his estranged wife's boyfriend outside a Blossom Valley home. Musladin, 45, is currently serving a life prison term for the first-degree murder of Thomas Allen Studer and the attempted murder of his now ex-wife, Pamela.
The state has the option of asking an 11-judge 9th Circuit panel to reconsider the decision, or send the case back to San Jose for a new trial. Santa Clara County prosecutors vowed to retry Musladin, 45, who has maintained that he was acting in self-defense and that Studer's death was an accident.
Musladin will remain in prison while the case proceeds. ...
Mathew Musladin arrived at the home to pick up his 3-year-old son for a weekend visitation when an argument broke out in front of the house. Court records show that Musladin fired shots at Pamela and Studer, hitting Studer in the shoulder and then in the head with a bullet that ricocheted off the pavement. [Note: O'Reilly said Studer was shot from behind.]
Musladin admitted shooting Studer, but claimed that he believed Studer had a gun and that another man at the house had a machete. He testified that he feared for his life when he fired the shots.
In the appeals court ruling, 9th Circuit Judges Stephen Reinhardt and Martha Berzon found that allowing the family to wear the buttons in front of the jury was particularly inflammatory because of Musladin's argument that he was acting in self-defense. The trial judge had rejected Musladin's lawyer's request for the family to cease wearing the buttons. ...
The Ninth Circuit has proved, once again, that it is capable of making the most bizarre decisions imaginable. My heart goes out to the Studer family. They should not have to live through the pain of this trial again.
posted by Beth @ 5:30 PM

1 Comments:

At 9:01 PM, Anonymous said…
Hi,I happen to know the person who shot Mr. Studer as well as his family. I have to let you know that I think murder is absolute and final and punishment can never equal another persons life ever!I would like to know why Mr. Studers methamphetimine levels in his blood samples at the time of autopsy are never discussed as well as the fact that methamphetimines have continued to be sold out of the address of the murder scene. The estranged wife of Mathew Musladin is in fact a meth freak or should I say an addict. No one is mentioning both sides of the story and that pisses me off. Thomas Studer was a meth addict as well. Mathew Musladin is not addicted to meth nor has he ever been. He has an extensive education and he knows that he took a life but he also states it was for fear of his own life that he shot the gun towards the garage. He is aware of the pain this whole situation has caused to both the family of Thomas Studer as well as his three year old son. Even if his conviction is not overturned we should also realize that there was a dirty cop involved in this whole mess. Thomas Studer and Mathew Musladin were both played by Pamela Musladin who is an evil girl along with her brother. Two men truly lost their lives that late afternoon early evening. Two men because Pamela wanted them to come face to face and fight over her.

Helping Your Friends!

2005-12-05T12:29:00.000-08:00

Steve said...
Our question is what you think the best way of cutting the number of tragedies amongst those that are going to take drugs regardless of the message your films carry?
2:17 PM

Beth said...
MY ANSWER TO THE QUESTION ABOVE IS,IF THERE SEEMS TO BE ANY HINT OF TROUBLE YOU CALL 911! YOU DON'T WAIT, DON'T BE IN DENIAL THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH YOU OR A FRIEND,YOU JUST CALL! 911

THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR EVERYONE WHO CHOOSES TO DO A HIGH RISK ACTIVITY, YOU NEED TO NOT ALLOW YOU OR OTHERS AROUND YOU TO DENY THE FACT THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM! (REMEMBER THE PERSON HAVING THE PROBLEM IS THE ONE THAT NEEDS THE OTHERS TO HELP HIM OR HER OUT!

THEY'RE NOT DOING WELL AND THEY CAN'T THINK!)THE VERY NATURE OF ECSTASY GIVES EVERYONE THE FEELING THAT EVERYTHING IS O.K. SO IT'S EASY TO THEN NOT SEE THAT SOMEONE IS HAVING A PROBLEM. THERE HAVE BEEN KIDS WHO HAVE MOVED SOMEONE THAT'S IN A REAL MEDICAL CRISIS INTO ANOTHER ROOM, 'BECAUSE THE NOISE WAS BOTHERING THEM!" ALL OF THIS INFORMATION IS IN EITHER THE TEEN EDITION OR THE PARENT EDITION. www.voiceofthevictims.com

TOP PRIORITY ON EVERYONE'S MIND NEEDS TO BE TO CALL 911

DON'T EVEN ENTERTAIN THESE THOUGHTS:
THEY'LL BE O.K.THEY'LL SLEEP IT OFF.OR WORSE: WHAT IF I CALL AND IT'S REALLY NOT THAT BAD?
I SAY SO!!!!!! YOU ARE NEVER EVER EVER WRONG TO CALL! THIS IS WHAT ALL OF THE DOCTORS AND THE EXPERTS TOLD ME!

HOPE THIS HELPS!

BETH
http://voiceofthevictims.com/Order.htm

Brent Shapiro

2005-11-29T15:06:00.000-08:00

How many more DEATHS do we need, BEFORE ANYONE WILL UNDERSTAND WHEN YOU TAKE ECSTASY, YOU CAN DIE!

NOTE: The type that is blue is me, Beth

Brent Shapiro died after taking just half of an ecstasy tablet!! The word overdose doesn't even seem to fit with many of these deaths. We need to call it what it is, "It's ecstasy poisoning"

Here are some parts from the Larry King show.

For 18 months Brent Shapiro was sober. He was doing incredibly well at USC. He had decided he was going to go to law school, even though he was in a specialized music school there in a specialized program for music industry, which he loved and wanted to get into.

And so, you know, if you asked me this two or three years before, I'd say every night I'd expect a call. You never know when that call is coming. But for 18 months to see the smile on this kid's face. He never was happier. He had everything he wanted in life. He was a giant sports fan and USC was undefeated. He just had everything going for him.

KING: How good a brother was he, Grant?

G. SHAPIRO: The best brother anybody could ask for. He just had such a big heart and he would, you know, place his friends and family before himself in the snap of a second.

What a horrible nightmare! My heart goes out to the whole family and to everyone who has to lose someone to drugs! It's especially tragic when it's talked about so much as being safe!

I'm now going to add to this, and I hope all of you are as pissed off as I am. I am going to be searching the internet and telling all of you what the dangerous idiots out there are telling our kids. I'm done with being polite to those who endanger our kids and plain don't give a you know what. I will not even allow any comments on this site that entertain or imply that Ecstasy, Ketamine, GHB, DXM or Binge Drinking is O.K. to do! If you do it and you survived Good for you! BUT NOT everyone does, and I will not have anymore stupid debates on this subject going on, on MY site! If you want to talk about these drugs and how you think they are O.K. Start your own weblog and say what ever the hell you want!

I stopped posting on my own site for a while because I couldn’t take the stupid debating, it was draining me, and bringing me down and away from what I do best. This weblog is just a supplement to what I really do. I make true stories about what happened to kids and their families when their child either chose to take on their own OR were slipped these drugs! Please fgo to my web site to see more on the kids and the previews and so much more.

Here are one person’s thoughts on ecstasy. See what you think. I’ll of course put in my opinion to!

Here it is:

Let me stop here for just a second before I continue this article for a Harm Reduction Public Service Announcement.
Note: Harm reduction is now being admitted as a real mistake in Australia. (Beth)
The same one that my youngest daughter at 19 years old hears from me, her father. IF YOU DECIDE TO TAKE ECSTASY DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL! Period!
Sounds like great father of the year advise to me?

Had Cathy Isford heard that from the DEA as a truthful message passed from them on to her by her parents (instead of politically driven propaganda which bears little relation to the reality of the street or the medical facts) she likely could have been alive today.

Cathy barely even had any alcohol at all; the truth here is she died from the ecstasy, PERIOD! I have a copy of her autopsy report; there was no alcohol in her system. She took 2 pills.

The LA Times also reported that Isford was no stranger to ecstasy and there was a letter to the editor published which also brought up harm reduction.

Jim White from Oregon, Ohio wrote "Would Isford be here today if drug education included factual, honest information rather than zero tolerance, zero intelligence, zero responsibility and do-nothing, feel-good propaganda?
What?? Man where do I even begin with this one? How do you teach honest information about something that who knows who is making, what they are putting in the pills and how strong they are? Come on Get Real here!

If we had a second chance, would we tell her something else, something that might have saved her life, even if she didn't "just say no"?"
YES! I wish she had been able to see what happened to the other kids, before it was too late for her. When Cathy died, I was just getting the money together to buy my equipment to make the film. I couldn't stand the thought that another person died, before I could get the film out there.

What do we say now to Irma Perez's family? Irma and so many other teens DID NOT DRINK ANY ALCOHOL AT ALL! More on Irma real soon. I'll be talking to her sister who raised her, (their mother died young)

we’ll be talking about the Alcohol theory more!

Be back soon!

Take care and Please be safe!

Beth
P.S Be sure to look in at the comment section.

KETAMINE ALERT IN BIRMINGHAM

2005-11-23T21:31:00.000-08:00

IT LOOKS LIKE THEY ARE STARTING TO WORRY ABOUT KETAMINE IN BIRMINGHAM. MY COMMENTS WILL SHOW UP IN BLUE. (BETH)
Parts taken from Global News Wire - Europe Intelligence Wire - Birmingham Post and Mail Ltd
Evening Mail
September 6, 2005
HEADLINE: ALERT ON NEW HIGH
BYLINE: ALISON DAYANI

A DANGEROUS hallucinogenic horse tranquillizer is sweeping Birmingham's clubland, it emerged today.

Ketamine is even overtaking ecstasy in the popularity stakes, shock findings by charity DrugScope reveal.

But even though the powerful veterinary anesthetic is legal, it can cause temporary paralysis, memory loss or even make the heart and lungs shut down if mixed with alcohol or other pills. ERIN ROSE ALMOST DIED FROM TAKING JUST KETAMINE. CLICK TO SEE ERIN NOW.

"People aged 18 to 25 are taking ketamine for a more trippy night out” You can spot them on the dance-floor because they're not dancing, they're sitting down in a vegetative state." He added that ketamine was being taken with crystal methamphetamine on the city's gay club scene and also by middle class people who like to party hard at the weekend and then go back to work in the week.

There are concerns over health risks associated with higher doses, including accidents due to lack of co-ordination, loss of consciousness and possible long-term damage to the memory.

You all need to know you can also stop breathing, like Erin and suffer permanent brain damage.

The singer Pink also overdosed on Ketamine about ten years ago! I just learned this myself. Interesting that "PINK" is Erin's favorite singer, she just loves her, especially the song "Bad Pill" Erin and I always felt, (got the really deep feeling she really knew from experience about overdosing) I guess we had it right!

A spokeswoman for Druglink, said: "The emergence of ketamine as a key substance of choice is an entirely new phenomenon since the last survey, when it didn't figure at all.

It comes in a variety of forms, ranging from liquid for injecting to a pill.

It first found its way on the club scene in 1992 when people took it thinking they were buying ecstasy.

Heiress Marcia Moore injected ketamine daily. She vanished in 1979 and her skeleton was discovered two years later. She had climbed a tree, injected all the ketamine she had, and frozen to death.

SOME OF THE LYRICS TO BAD PILL BY "PINK" ARE:

I'M LYING HERE ON THE FLOOR WHERE YOU LEFT ME, I THINK I TOOK TOO MUCH, I'M CRYING HERE, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE, I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE FUN.

PAMSFIGHT

2005-11-01T00:38:00.000-08:00

On October 16th, 2005, my sister lost her battle with alcohol. She died from liver failure caused by drinking Everclear. It caused multi-organ failure.

She passed away around 1:00 am. That morning with all of her family by her side, I sat at her bedside until she took her last breath. We prayed and talked to her.

I am reading everything I can about Everclear and the more I read the more mad I become. How can we allow this to be produced and marketed when there is such a fatal outcome??

Just to tell how bad Everclear is, one doctor swore that her throat and stomach looked as if she tried to drink DRAIN-O. She left behind 3 wonderful kids and a 5 month old Grandson.

I am so heart broke...

To Pamsfight:

I am soooo sorry for your loss! Until you shared with us here what was happening with your sister, I had never even heard of Everclear! I’m sure there are so many others out there that don’t know about this either or how dangerous it can be!

When you feel up to it, I would really like to ask you some questions in order to help teach others that this is nothing to mess around with. So you take it easy, take your time and when you are ready will you please send me an email?

My heart goes out to all of you!! I just HATE THESE UNNESSESARY DEATHS!!!

Beth@voiceofthevictims.com

Ecstasy Rape turns into a Murder!

2005-10-20T18:00:00.000-07:00

How do You Tell about Sara?

By Beth Pearce
Voice of the Victims

When I went to Chicago with my camera crew to talk to Sara’s family and friends about the ecstasy that she took, I had no idea how truly evil her story really was. It took everything I had inside me to NOT out loud sob cry or run from the room! I am a mom that can’t stand what is happening to our kids because of designer drugs, and knowing not too many parents even know about these until their child is dead or in the emergency room. I make “True Story Documentaries about the dangers of drugs” to teach the kids and Parents before they get in to trouble with them. Sara is one of the beautiful kids that is in my film.

Sara was an only child. She was beautiful, kind, smart, very nice, and just a very sweet girl, until she met Garrett! When Sara was 18 years old she started hanging out with Garrett, he was 21 years old and was just a friend. He was like a brother to her, and would take care of her.

The night before Mother’s Day 2001, Sara was out with friends, they were going to go to Starbucks hang out, just have fun! Around midnight Sara called her mom to say she was at Garrett’s house; his mother was home his sister was there and not to worry they were going to play Video games and watch some movies, and she would just spend the night there.

This is what happened next. Sara took 3 ecstasy pills that night along with Garrett and another male that was with them. They were downstairs in the basement that was made up as the recreation room. Soon after taking the pills, she was pulling at her hair and grabbing her throat saying she couldn’t breathe. She was talking to people that weren’t there, so she was hallucinating. She was suffering on the floor for six hours.

By ten o’clock the next morning, Jan, Sara’s mom got a call from the police, saying that Sara had had a seizure or something; they were asking her if she was on any mediation or if she was sick. Jan said no, Sara was not on any medication and not sick. She rushed over to Garrett house to find Sara on the floor. The paramedics kept asking Garrett what she took, he continued to just walk around like nothing was happening saying she took nothing. They were all begging him to tell them what she took, he just stuck with the lie that she took nothing, even though, and just maybe it could have saved Sara’s life to tell the truth. Sara was rushed to the hospital; her temperature was 108 degrees she was bleeding, internally. There was a doctor there that thought it could be ecstasy, so that’s how they started treating her. The doctors told the parents that her nerve endings were dead and that she probably didn’t know what was going on. Sara’s eyes were fixed up at the ceiling….. No response… But when the Parents went into the room, the nurses noticed that she cried… A tear out of one eye and then the other. Sara could have been inside!!

The doctors had to tell the Jan and Robert (Sara’s Parents) that there was just nothing more that could be done for Sara. As Jan explains this, “The silence when they turn the machines off is the loudest silence I had ever heard!”

Sara had expressed to someone at one time that she wanted to be cremated. So Jan and Robert took her home, she’s by Jan’s chair, and she talks to her all the time.

Four days before Sara passed away the police had a warrant out for the arrest of Garrett, for selling drugs. The police never picked him up. They wanted to see what else he would do. As Jan says, it’s like a door opened for Sara, if he had been picked up the door would have been closed. You see…. what they found out later, on tape, as Garrett is bragging to his cell mate is this…

Garrett’s plan was to rape Sara! He was the one getting the water for the group he wanted Sara, so he crushed up four pills and put it in her water. He claimed she chugged it, as if that would have made a difference if she had drank it slowly. Garrett got 15 years in prison for the selling of drugs. Half his time was knocked off right away, he is due out of prison in 2007. Garrett was never tried for the murder of Sara. The judge did take his confession to the cell mate into consideration and gave him the 15 years, which then went to 7 and a half.
New Update:
Garrett is now due to be released before Thanksgiving 2005.

As Mom says, “How do you keep your children safe? How do you know who they should be hanging out with, especially when they say they’re like a brother and will take care of her?”

Here are my feelings on this whole tragedy! Garrett is a guy that looks like the guy next door, or the cute guy on the football team! He was supposed to have been Sara’s friend! Garrett has no remorse for what he did to Sara. He was bragging about the whole thing just days later! I think he will do this again. He is in Prison in Chicago, his parents live in Arizona now, and he needs to be watched!

What I want to say to the young women that think they are safer if they have a male with them, don’t be so sure! Sara had a male friend with her, who she thought would help keep her safe! Why did Sara feel the need to have another male with her when she was with Garrett? I just feel so bad that Sara didn’t follow her instincts and stay away from this creep all together. I think she did have some red flag warnings that she decided were probably nothing and she sort of ignored them, or thought that if the other guy was there, she was safe, everything would be O.K. Doesn’t this happen to us many times? We will have a thought and talk ourselves out of it, thinking we are just being silly, nothing is going to happen! We need to stop and really give ourselves credit, pay attention to those little thought flashes, red flags feelings what ever it is and go with it! Let’s also not forget when someone wants something from us, they will be very charming, not the ugly creepy looking guy with the horns!

The thing that seems to be happening more and more is they will drug the male first the get him out of the way and then go for the woman. This is now happening to older women, newly divorced woman that haven’t been out for awhile. The main drug that will be used is GHB, Ketamine or Roofies. I really believe that the best way we can protect our loved ones is to teach them the dangers that can be involved with using drugs, or hanging out with the wrong people, or what’s the freakiest of all is, you are out minding your own business having fun with your friends and some sicko decides “He wants you!” You don’t know the guy and you have no warning that anyone is even around that is thinking about harming you. He has his little eye dropper bottle filled with whatever drug he chose for the occasion, and when you look away for just a second there he goes! Or maybe you go dance and your drink is on the table, there are all kinds of ways that they can get to you and your drink.

Fight to Save Life

2005-10-09T11:27:00.000-07:00

Please read this comment that was put on my message board at the Voice of the Victims website! (Beth )

Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 5:46 pm Post subject: My sister's fight to save to her life

My sister is 44 with 3 children. She is at this time lying in an adult critical care unit from drinking the alcohol called everclear. She is in complete liver failure and her kidneys are shutting down.. Her eyes are yellow and bulging out. Yes, my sister is an alcoholic and it is true that no one poured the stuff down her throat, but if one person reads this and cries for her and my family then me taking the time to post this will have become effective in its goal. No one person deserves to die like this and no one ever should. We need to love, care and support each other everyday, just to survive. Thanks for reading this and I will update as possible any progress._________________fighting to help save my sisters life..

New Message

2005-10-06T01:39:00.000-07:00

When someone loses a child or a friend, it is just such an incredible loss! It changes so many lives! At this time I would like to share some positive messages that I have received, then I will be writing about my experience as a normal regular person trying to make a difference and the frustration of the media and the people who could maybe help, that just won’t!

Please also check out my website and consider ordering the 2 DVD's for you and your loved ones! It could just save their lives!
Thank you,
Beth Pearce

www.Voiceofthevictims.com

Thank you to you Tyrone for this wonderful message:

Beth,
Read your article in the O.C.Register, bought your DVD, recorded your appearance on Cox channel 3, and still am hungry for info so I can join in your campaign to inform and save precious teenage lives! I am a single father of 2 teenagers. Your DVD came to my family at just the right time! There is a special place in heaven for people like you!

A most heart-felt THANK YOU!

Tyrone

2005-10-06T01:31:00.000-07:00

Comments from Readers
I would like to post a few comments from you readers out there that I feel is important to put on the front page.

Here are the rules for the comment section:
1. If you want to share a comment, Please speak for yourself. You are invited to share your OWN feelings, NOT try to talk for everyone else.
2. Please be respectful!

Thank you,
Beth Pearce
Beth@voiceofthevictims.com

Thank you

2005-10-06T01:28:00.000-07:00

Hi Beth,

This is Natasha Ritchie and a couple of weeks ago I received the video you sent me... which I really appreciated. I watched it twice and I cried so hard because it is so unbelievable how many people fall victims to such a dangerous drug. I have watched it with my family. I just wish that there was something that I could do to help because I feel like I should.

Thanks you for creating a video like this and those families who allowed you to share their stories. I think you will be saving a lot of lives. Again thanks so much. I will continue to show the video to anyone who needs to see it, or just to have a listen in on some of the most harmful drugs out there. God bless you Beth and keep doing what you do best, saving lives!

Sincerely,

Natasha

Comments from Readers

2005-10-04T15:26:00.000-07:00

Here is a comment from a Professional in the field:

Subject: Drug Facilitated Rape

The take-home point should be for victims to be aware of the fact that they MAY have been drugged and that it MAY have been pre-meditated.

The faster they report the alleged sexual assault, the better the chance of identifying drugs that may have been involved and succeeding in an investigation and prosecution. Most drug facilitated sexual assault DO involve alcohol, but statistics indicate that sexual assaults related to ANY substance have increased drastically.

Furthermore, the involvement of women in orchestrating these assaults seems to be increasing. One might argue that the victims are reporting them more these days, but I can tell you that based on the audiences I speak to more and more YOUNG people are saying they are seeing it first hand – including men, even if more for the purpose of robbery.

I have been responding to sexual assaults for over a decade in a variety of roles – things are definitely worse. It doesn’t matter WHAT the substance – the level of pre-medication and no-harm-done mentality is what is truly horrifying.

Gwen 09.12.05 - 11:03 pm #

Ecstasy Rape In New York

2005-09-03T22:40:00.000-07:00

From the Journal News, in Westchester Co., New York:

A married Ossining man raped a New Jersey woman over the weekend, after his girlfriend slipped a drug into the victim's drink, police said.

Kevin Nowell, 41, of 21 Stone Ave., Ossining, was charged yesterday with two felonies — first-degree rape and first-degree criminal sex act — in connection with the Sunday morning incident at the Beacon Hill Drive apartment of his 24-year-old girlfriend.

The girlfriend, Jessica Jacobson, was arrested Sunday after the victim told Dobbs Ferry police she had been sexually assaulted just before 2:30 that morning. The 23-year-old victim was a friend of Jacobson's who went to the apartment late Saturday night to hang out with her. Police said Jacobson invited her there so that Nowell could have sex with her.

Jacobson works as a gymnastics instructor for The Little Gym in Bedford. She was charged with facilitating a sex offense with a controlled substance, accused of putting Ecstasy into the woman's drink.

Nowell slapped her and pulled her hair as he raped and sodomized her after she became weak from the mixture of Ecstasy and alcohol, police said.

She called police after going to an emergency room for treatment.

Nowell, a home health-care nurse, faces up to 25 years and Jacobson up to seven years in state prison if convicted.

Ecstasy Use Drops In England

2005-09-03T21:42:00.000-07:00

It appears that those of us who are concerned about the risks of designer drugs may be making headway. The Economist reports in its 9/3 issue:

According to the British Crime Survey, the proportion of 16- to 24-year-olds who used amphetamines in the previous 12 months fell from 12% in 1996 to 4% last year. Ecstasy has also become less popular, which is surprising given falling prices: in many places, a pill now costs less than a pint of beer.

"It's a fashion thing," says Matthew Atha, of the Independent Drug Monitoring Unit, which tracks drug users' preferences. He believes that young people are switching from illegal highs to legal ones as tastes change and messages about the dangers of ecstasy and other recreational drugs sink in.

Unfortunately, alcohol comes with its own risks, even though it's legal. Dr. Mike Ritter, who provides medical commentary in my film, worries more about alcohol's impact on young people than any other drug.

I included quite a bit of information on alcohol in the teen version of the film -- which currently is for sale at a reduced price in a back to school special.

Ecstasy-Halloway Connection?

2005-08-20T22:37:00.000-07:00

When it was reported that a young woman was missing in Aruba, my first thought was, "I wonder if someone gave her GHB in order to rape her?" I wondered whether something had gone wrong, and whether the person who gave her the drug had done something with her body.

This week, the National Equirer tied Ecstasy to Natalee's disappearance in a way quite similar to what I've been thinking:

Dutch teenager Joran van der Sloot is terrified he and his family will be murdered if he confesses all he knows about the disappearance of Natalee Holloway.

The National Enquirer can reveal that police on Aruba are investigating this theory, which centers on whether narcotics dealers supplied Joran with the drug ecstasy, helped him get rid of Natalee's body — and told him he'd vanish forever if he didn't keep his mouth shut.

"Joran's statements have changed many times because he does not want police to find out who helped dispose of Natalee's body," said a source close to the case. "Police believe that people involved in getting rid of the body have threatened to murder Joran and his family if he ever names them." ...

As The National Enquirer reported last week, police theorize that Natalee died accidentally, possibly drowning after she fell and hit her head in a drug-induced stupor. Police also believe Joran confessed to his father that Natalee had taken ecstasy and when she died, Joran panicked and decided to get rid of the body. But he needed help — and knew where to find it.

"Joran is believed to be friends with a known ecstasy dealer in Aruba and police think that's where he got the drug," said the source.

"When Natalee died, Joran got in touch with the dealer. The theory is that the dealer had an incentive to dispose of her body so that police wouldn't trace the drugs back to him. But the dealer made it clear to Joran that if he talked he'd disappear too."

I've found another report that hold s out some hope that Natalee may still be alive. It, too, involves ecstasy, but this time, as a drug used to knock out women so they can be sold into sexual servitude. The story, on the Conspiracy Planet Web site, verifies one such case with the testimony of a U.S. Naval officer. The woman involved, Amy Bradley, is one of two that have gone missing after drinking at Carlos and Charlie's -- the same bar Natalee was seen at before her disappearance.

Here's what Conspiracy Planet says about Natalee:

Worldwide news reports say bartenders from Cancun to Aruba to Jamaica regularly spike the drinks of unsuspecting women with drugs such as Rohypnol (roofies) and GHB (liquid ecstasy) for the purpose of "date-rape," but reports also describe the increasing use of these drugs to place women in a submissive state to move them into position for transport to Caribbean island and South American brothels for indefinite periods for use as drugged prostitutes in known white slavery rings.

Leventhal said last night that the hotel manager of Aruba’s Holiday Inn-Sunspree Resort and Casino where Holloway stayed reported that all hotel security cameras were working properly.

But they do not verify the claims of the three men who said they returned Holloway to the Holiday Inn after driving her to the California lighthouse where one of the three said he "made out" and "was intimate" with Holloway while she was "intoxicated," according to Leventhal. ...

Other news reports also said Holloway was intoxicated; however, date-rape drugs are known to exhibit symptoms where individuals seem extremely intoxicated after consuming only a small amount of alcohol- more so than the amount ingested would warrant. ...

Late at night, Aruba’s California lighthouse could easily serve as a beacon to guide boats to the deserted beach to quickly drop off and pick up narcotics--but news show guests intimated for days that submissive females, possibly drugged by bartenders or other patrons at a popular club like Carlos and Charlie’s could be victims of sexual transport.

I'll keep you posted if anything new develops ...

I'm Back

2005-08-20T22:35:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the absence. I've been thinking about changes to my main Web site in order to encourage more people to purchase my films on the dangers of ecstasy, ketamine and alcohol, and of making changes to the blog.

Maybe you'll see some changes in the days ahead!

Why Do I Do What I Do? Two

2005-07-19T21:19:00.000-07:00

This quote, from a high school student at pretty much sums it up:

"One out of a million may not seem like a lot, if you're counting pennies. But by saving one person, you have hundreds of others from grief and suffering. I am inspired."

Prescription Drug Abuse Takes Off

2005-07-12T22:09:00.000-07:00

Use of prescription drugs like OxyContin is increasing. Here's a good summary, from the Washington Times:

The number of Americans abusing prescription drugs nearly doubled from 7.8 million in 1992 to 15.1 million in 2003, according to the report [from Columbia University's National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse]. Prescription-drug abuse also has become more widespread than abuse of illicit drugs such as cocaine, heroin and hallucinogens combined, which numbered 12.3 million in 2003.

The most popular prescription drugs were opioids, which are painkillers such as OxyContin, Vicodin and Percocet. ... Partly to blame for the increase, Mr. Califano said, is the widespread availability of prescription drugs on the Internet. In 2004, the research firm Beau Dietl & Associates found that only 6 percent of Web sites selling prescription drugs required a prescription.

The number of 12-to-17-year olds abusing prescription drugs increased 212 percent in the 11 years CASA examined, while the number of adults abusing prescription drugs increased 81 percent, according to the study.

"For many kids, the family medicine cabinet has become a greater temptation and a greater threat than illegal street drugs," said Mr. Califano, who served under President Carter as the secretary of health, education and welfare. He said many young people assume prescription drugs are safe because they are "a good clean pill in a nice clean bottle."

But in 2002, controlled prescription drugs were responsible for 29.9 percent of drug-related emergency-room deaths.

GHB Serial Killers In Florida?

2005-07-12T21:06:00.000-07:00

Police in Florida are investigating what appears to be as many as seven murders in which saddistic murders were carried out on victims drugged with GHB. The Bradenberg Herald reports:

TAMPA - From the outside, Steven Lorenzo seemed a perfect fit for Seminole Heights, a historic riverside neighborhood where front-porch friendliness still flourishes under moss-draped oaks.

The electrician and home inspector often sat on his veranda, ready with a smile or helping hand. He lent his tools and home-repair skills. He rescued one neighbor's cats from the pound and another neighbor's house from a fire. ...

But inside his meticulously restored 1928 bungalow, investigators say, Lorenzo turned tormenter, drugging, raping and torturing men he met at gay bars or on the Internet. At least seven reported escaping with their lives. But two others who vanished in December 2003 apparently didn't, finally spotlighting the disappearances of three other Tampa Bay-area gay men.

One of Lorenzo's Internet chat buddies, an Illinois native who briefly lived in Orlando, recently told police that he helped Lorenzo kill and dispose of the two men's bodies, dismembering one in Lorenzo's garage.

Today, Lorenzo, 46, and Scott Schweickert, 39, are being held without bail in Hillsborough County Jail, accused by federal authorities of drug-assisted crimes of violence. Lorenzo's charming cottage on West Powhatan Avenue remains the focus of an ever-widening, multistate probe that has yielded horrific clues about what might have happened behind closed doors.

The most telling evidence - DNA analysis of bloodstains found on wood floors and cobblestones in the garage - could answer the question that haunts the families and friends of Tampa Bay's missing gay men: What happened to their loved ones? ...
Neither man has been charged with murder. But indictments are expected soon, contingent on the DNA results Nielsen and the mothers of at least two other missing men and three other police departments anxiously await. ...
Then, in 2002, federal drug agents visited Lorenzo for buying on the Internet a solvent used to make gamma hydroxybutyric acid, or GHB, commonly known as a "date-rape drug."

Again, Lorenzo was questioned but not arrested.

But, after the town-hall meeting, police and federal drug agents actively began investigating Lorenzo in the reported assaults. Serving a search warrant on his house a year ago June, they found photographs and videos of numerous men in various stages of bondage, some who appeared to be in "a comatose-like state." ...

Why Do I Do What I Do?

2005-07-06T17:09:00.000-07:00

Rick Moore posted this comment to the post below:

I wondered how you got involved in this area. Thanks for reprinting the article - I must have missed it when it first came out in the Register. Good luck with this valuable ministry.

Here's what I posted back to him:

Hi Rick,

How did I do this? With a lot of guts and a lot of heart!

When I read in the paper what happened to Erin Rose, I just couldn't believe these things were happening to our kids!! I knew someone had to do something real and different. Being "Just a Mom" all I knew was that the kids and the parents need to see and feel what's happening in the hopes it will help their kids.

What better way to do that than to go see these families and let them tell their stories for everyone else to learn from? I kept this a self-funded documentary, so it could stay pure! All of the families were free to say whatever they wanted. I think it was worth the cost.

You see, what really scares me, and many of the parents too, is when we think about the future for all of the teens and young adults who choose to take ecstasy, ketamine, GHB, oxy-contin, DXM and the list goes on and on.

These drugs seem to take them much quicker, either with death or other problems.

I think all of us as a society should be very concerned about this! How many will be on SSI for life and other aid, because they can no longer funtion, not to mention all the other resourses needed to help rehabilitate?

This is a big problem that, until people see it for what it really is, will only get worse. I don't want millions to die or be maimed for life before anyone cares. I say we need to care now to help prevent tragedies.

THAT'S WHY I DO WHAT I DO!!

Thank you so very much for asking!!

Beth

Allow Me To Introduce Myself

2005-06-29T22:15:00.000-07:00

There's been a lot said recently in the comments section about what I'm doing and why, and it is sadly off the mark. I'm just a mom trying to help parents understand that the drug world has changed since they were kids, trying to help kids understand that it's best to understand the risks involved with your choice-making, including whether you choose to use drugs.

Rather than repeating all this again myself, I'm presenting a lengthy article on me and my films that appeared in the Orange County Register in Feb., 2004.

SUNDAY SPOTLIGHT: A NEW VOICE

By Theresa Walker

It all started two years ago, the morning Beth Pearce's husband clipped the newspaper article about Erin Rose and put it on her chair to see before she headed to work.

Laer Pearce wanted her to read the story of the Laguna Niguel teen's overdose on a drug called ketamine, and the brain damage it caused.

They have three daughters of their own, two still in their teens and one not quite there yet. He had never heard of this drug and was sure his wife hadn't either. Had their daughters?

Beth Pearce cried reading how ketamine -- the kids call it ``Special K,'' like the cereal -- stopped the flow of oxygen to Rose's brain for eight minutes and left her comatose for two weeks.

It shocked her to learn how seven months later, when Rose's story ran in the paper, this drug that is used by veterinarians to tranquilize large animals and in burn wards as an anesthetic turned the clock back nearly to toddlerhood for the once bright and athletic 18-year-old.

Rose couldn't walk straight, couldn't speak clearly, couldn't remember how to do the simplest things, like telling time.

"I thought, I can't believe this is happening to our children,'' Pearce says.

She held that thought on the 20-minute drive from their home in Coto de Caza to her husband's public-relations firm, where she helps with the accounting.

There might be other kids out there who would end up like Rose, or worse. There must be other parents out there who never heard of this drug. Somebody needs to do something, she told herself.

Who?

By the time she got to work, she decided: me.

She would get the word out to as many people as possible. After more thought, she determined the best way was to produce a video and let the victims tell the story.

What did it matter that she knew nothing about filmmaking? That she had no recording equipment and wouldn't know how to use it if she did? A sense of urgency and commitment can carry you a long way, past doubt and inexperience.

Laer Pearce didn't blanch at his wife's proposal. Even though she's the kind of person who has trouble putting film in a camera, she also is a quick study who throws herself completely into a project.

The image of coming home one afternoon and finding Beth standing outside their home with an air compressor, a 20-foot extension pole and a breathing apparatus covering her mouth and nose as she painted the outside of their house crossed Laer Pearce's mind.

"She does that kind of stuff. She's just not afraid.''

The energy this woman, who describes herself as "just a mom,'' once put into hanging wallpaper, sewing quilts and raising money for her children's schools, she channeled into producing her documentary, "Voice of the Victims: True Stories of Ecstasy and Ketamine.''

Making the video carried her into the life of Erin Rose, who is now like a fourth daughter to her. It carried her, too, into the short-circuited lives of three other teens who weren't lucky enough to be left with a brain injury like Rose.

They died.

She ended up charging $160,000 on her credit cards to produce the two DVD versions of "Voice of the Victims,'' one for parents and one for youths.

Even for a woman who drives a leased Porsche Targa, those American Express bills are daunting.

"We are in so much debt,'' she says.

Again, her husband -- who had to downsize his company by two-thirds just three years ago -- didn't blink at the bills.

"I figured if God had wanted us to do this, we would get out of debt. If God wants us to struggle with debt, we'll struggle with debt. It seemed to me there was a higher purpose here.''

Beth Pearce hopes her dedication will carry the voices of the victims into people's living rooms. She wants to reach kids with a message they won't laugh at or mock.

Not to preach, but to let them hear from Rose and her mom, Maryanne Rose. From the parents and sister of Cathy Isford, 18, a Foothill High senior who took "ecstasy'' the night of her prom, lapsed into a coma and died two days later in May 2002.

And from the parents of two Chicago- area teens whose deaths Beth Pearce read about on the Internet: Steven Lorenz, 17, and a girl identified only by her first name, Sara.

"Let them see what can happen and make up their minds while they still have a mind and a life,'' she says, holding up a copy of the DVD and shaking it like a preacher would a Bible.

Since she started marketing "Voice of the Victims'' in January, Pearce has sold about 50 of the 3,000 copies she had made. For now, they are available at $19.95 through a Web site.

In a downstairs room with flowered wallpaper where she set up her video operation -- once a playroom, later a homework room for her girls -- Pearce wrote the names of people and organizations she wants to contact: first lady Laura Bush, Focus on the Family, Oprah Winfrey, the Boy Scouts of America. "Good Morning America'' has shown interest, she says.

She appeared on Hugh Hewitt's radio show in December, and is taping spots to be aired on upcoming segments of the syndicated "Spread a Little Love Around'' show, which runs weeknights on Christian radio station KWVE/107.9 FM.

Pearce intends to educate the parents who don't have a clue, and to redirect those who are so misinformed as to think that since kids are going to experiment with drugs no matter what, it might as well be with a "safe'' drug like ecstasy rather than something hardcore like cocaine or heroin.

"Voice of the Victims'' is being released at a time when overall drug use by teens has dropped. Last year, a bellwether national survey that tracks illicit drug use among 8th-, 10th- and 12th-graders reported a decrease by more than half in the proportion of teens who reported using ecstasy between 2001 and 2003.

It's true, too, that the number of emergency room visits and deaths related to the use of ecstasy and ketamine are dwarfed by those involving use of such drugs as cocaine, heroin and marijuana, or alcohol in combination with other substances.

Still there are indications that abuse of ecstasy and ketamine remain a problem.

While no statistics are available for Orange County, the federal agency that tracks drug abuse related emergency- room incidents reported an increase in the number of visits in the Los Angeles and Long Beach area involving ketamine use, up from seven in 1999 to 52 in 2002. Ecstasy related emergency-room visits for the same area more than tripled, from 52 in 1999 to 176 in 2002. Last year the Partnership for a Drug-Free America reported that a majority of adolescents don't see any risk in taking ecstasy.

Pearce is trying to show kids and parents that there is a risk. Maybe people will cry when they watch "Voice of the Victims,'' like Pearce did when she read about Erin Rose, or like Maryanne Rose did when listening to Sara's mom tell how her daughter died. A male friend of Sara's, later imprisoned, secretly laced a glass of water with four extra doses of the ecstasy she had freely taken earlier. He wanted her pliant, to rape her.

"It affected me, and I've been through a lot,'' says Maryanne Rose, who along with Erin, speaks at schools and other organizations around the community. "I mean, I cried during Sara's story.''

David Lorenz, a three-pack-a-day Teamsters truck driver who smoked pot in his youth, hopes that the stories of Erin, Cathy, Sara and his son, Steven, will do more than make people cry.

A single father raising three boys, Lorenz had no idea that his skateboard-loving son was doing drugs. A week or two before Steven died, Lorenz had found a pill in his room and confronted him. His son lied and said it belonged to a friend. Lorenz counseled him and thought that was that.

"He went out and did it one more time,'' Lorenz says, "and that was all it took.''

Steven thought he was taking ecstasy the night of May 7, 2000. But it was a lookalike sold to him by a friend -- the potent hallucinogenic paramethoxyamphetamine, or PMA. The fatal dose shot Steven's temperature to 108 degrees, frying him from the inside out until he looked like a shriveled up old man to his father when he died.

"I don't want it to just be sad,'' Lorenz says, the weariness from his efforts to make a difference evident in his raspy voice. "I want it to be a learning lesson.''

USING HERSELF AS AN EXAMPLE

Erin Rose wears two frayed red cloth bands, one on each wrist along with her crystal bracelets and her watch. They are the wristbands kids get at school during Red Ribbon Week. "Drug Use is Life Abuse,'' they read.

She won't take them off. She used to wear the same kind of bands back when she was doing drugs. She thought that was funny, then. Now, she takes them seriously.

"I just wish the young people out there could realize what can happen,'' she says.

She can't pronounce her R's properly, so she sounds like a 4-year-old saying it.

Rose is visiting Beth Pearce on a Friday afternoon. She's come to spend the weekend, something she started doing back in December when she was up to overnight stays away from home.

For nearly three years, Rose has spent her time trying to regain all that she lost the third time she took ketamine. She had to learn how to breathe on her own again. How to walk. How to talk. How to take a shower. How to dress herself.

She still has trouble with her balance and falls now and then. Pearce helps her come down the stairs, like you would someone far older or younger. Rose's small- motor skills are so shot, she has difficulty writing. She once had such beautiful handwriting, her mother says.

She still goes to occupational and speech therapy. Rose, 20, attends a half-day program for the brain-injured at Coastline Community College in Costa Mesa. The other day she broke into frustrated tears trying to do third-grade multiplication and division.

Someday, she hopes to further her education at a four-year college. She wants to study about drugs, she says, so she can teach kids what she learned the hard way.

Rose was always smart, always good in sports. But she was emotionally troubled, too, Maryanne Rose says. She would get depressed. She became bulimic.

She smoked pot, drank and experimented with other drugs. Her family tried all sorts of interventions. Her mother was on the verge of kicking her out of the house when she got the call early one Saturday morning that Erin was in the emergency room. The next day was Mother's Day.

Erin doesn't remember anything about the night she overdosed -- or even weeks before that. But it's her short-term memory and her ability to make decisions that suffer the most. Doing the laundry can confuse her. Beth Pearce tried to teach her by drawing red lines on the washing machine dial so Rose would know where to set it.

The Pearce household is becoming a second home to her. She says Beth Pearce is like "a best friend.''

Rose is sitting with Pearce in the editing room, one of her favorite photographs filling the computer monitor behind her. It was taken a few months before she overdosed -- she's at school, surrounded by some of her cousins and her friends. She is smiling, her reddish-blond hair pulled back behind one ear.

Rose thinks she looked "cool'' back then. Not anymore. She says as much in "Voice of the Victims.''

As she did with all four teens, Pearce incorporates in the video photographs of Rose as a child and in her adolescence to drive home who she was, what she lost.

There's a snapshot of Rose as a girl in her soccer uniform, her hair tied back with ribbons. There's Rose as a teen in a long dress, her hair done up for a formal dance.

And there's up-close video of Rose at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, tubes running up her nose, eyes closed. Comatose. Her mother shot it. She wanted Rose's sister and brother and cousins and friends to see her like that. She wanted them to know what could happen.

Rose says she gets sick of repeating the story of what happened to her. Because it's frustrating to think about how her life changed so dramatically. But she feels compelled to tell it. "Voice of the Victims'' lets her do that on a much broader scale.

"I just want to get my voice out there. So does Beth. We just want to save so many people.''

To Glen Stanley, a narcotics detective with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and an expert in drugs like ketamine and ecstasy, the painful stories told by Erin Rose and the families gives "Voice of the Victims'' its greatest impact.

"I can stand up in front of a group of 300 kids and talk all day about how bad drugs are for you, and half those kids are going to turn me off because, one, I'm twice their age, and, two, I'm a cop,'' says Stanley, who is among the voices of authority Pearce includes in her video. "Erin gets up there and you can hear a pin drop.''

"She can say, 'I was like you, and now look at me.' There isn't anything more powerful than that.'' Stanley plans to use "Voice of the Victims'' in talks he gives at schools and to parents.

"I think it will help fill a void. I see it as a real good icebreaker, a way to get your kids to sit down and talk about drugs without you having to sit down face to face and go, 'Are you using drugs?' You can ask questions like, what do you think about that, do you know any kids at school who are doing that -- without it being an interrogation.''

Until she made "Voice of the Victims,'' Pearce hadn't talked to her girls about drugs.

"Having daughters herself,'' Stanley says, "it's very easy for her to see her daughters in Erin's place. I think that scares her -- and would a lot of parents.''

LEARN-AS-YOU-GO PROJECT

Beth Pearce spent hours that sometimes stretched into days editing "Voice of the Victims.'' For the last six months of production, she moved her operation from her husband's offices to the downstairs room in her house. The video had taken over her life, and she didn't want to be gone from home anymore.

In June, she had to start all over again re-editing around 20 hours of raw footage when her computer crashed and she lost the work she had done to that point.

By then she was working pretty much on her own. She had hired a good cameraman to shoot the footage, but the video editors were taking too long. So she decided to do it herself, using the digital video-editing guide "Premiere 6.5 for Dummies.''

From the start, "Voice of the Victims'' was a learn-as-you-go project. She researched her topic and found the people she needed to talk to on the Internet, a source she had never really explored before.

"I kept double-clicking and double-clicking. I'd find something, print it out and take it upstairs to read on my bed, making notes to call this person, that person.''

She didn't really have a set plan when she began. And that made it better, she thinks. "I went out and listened to the people. I just went out and listened.''

At the beginning, she was reluctant to call the families, worried about upsetting them more. She enlisted her brother-in- law, a police officer in Fresno, to make contact, figuring he would have more experience in dealing with people who lost loved ones.

"I was afraid they wouldn't want to talk about it. I didn't want to bring up the whole, horrible subject again.''

But they were more than willing to talk, because Pearce was so willing to listen. And they wanted other people to know what had happened to their children.

"We can't save our children. They're gone,'' Lorenz says. "We're trying to help other people. That's what it's all about. It just seems like nobody really cares. There are some people out there that care, but not enough. There are a few Beths, and people who have lost their kids.''

Pearce enlisted the aid of Dr. Mike Ritter, assistant director of the emergency room at Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo, where he sees firsthand the damage that drugs like ecstasy and ketamine can do.

Ritter, who appears in "Voice of the Victims,'' spends a lot of time educating the community on drug use by talking to parents and teens. Pearce heard him speak at Dana Hills High.

Ritter gets the sense that most parents still don't know much about these drugs, despite concerns that grew out of the rave and club scenes over the past few years, and stories in the news, like the death of Cathy Isford. Kids, however, seem to be more sophisticated about using them -- following advice available on the Internet, he says.

"It's kind of intriguing. I'm not seeing as many kids in the emergency room with ecstasy- related problems, but when I talk to kids they're still using it.''

Ritter says kids are simply unaware of the long-term effects of taking ecstasy. Scientific studies have shown that the drug damages the serotonin receptors in the brain, which control our moods, causing a chemical imbalance that leads to depression.

Taking ecstasy is like taking a form of Prozac, he says. It makes you feel energetic, happy. The problem is when it leaves your system, you feel depressed. So you take more ecstasy, a vicious cycle.

"Some experts are concerned that it's going to create a whole generation of depressed adults. But trying to pitch that to a teenager is very difficult. To say that they're going to be depressed down the road, they're like, what are you talking about? I feel great.''

If they make it that far. One more time can turn into the last time -- a message that "Voice of the Victims'' underscores.

Earlier in high school, Cathy Isford took ecstasy and other party drugs, but along with her fiancé, she stayed clean for about two years, looking forward to marrying, having kids and becoming a schoolteacher. Until prom night. She secretly told her older sister that she was going to take ecstasy one more time, to make her prom experience perfect.

The combination of the ecstasy and a few alcoholic drinks killed her.

Pearce showed "Voice of the Victims'' to a group of teens before completing the project, to see if it had the kind of impact she hoped. She asked the kids to write their opinions anonymously afterward.

"Some friends of mine used to go to raves & take ecstasy. They told me that ecstasy was one of the safest drugs you could take -- this made me realize differently,'' one wrote. "I liked Cathys story the most. It touched me because she had so much clean time -- then one night ended her life.''

Caitlyn Topper, 15, also saw that early screening. She started doing drugs when she was about 13, developed a substance-abuse problem, and got sent away to rehab. She played water polo on the varsity team at her school. She used to have a good reputation. She used to have scholarships in the works.

"It's all ruined,'' she says. "If I had seen this video, I think I wouldn't have taken those extreme drugs. I think I would have kept the caution with me.''

Caitlyn, who lives in Coto de Caza and is a friend of Pearce's daughter, Christina, met Erin Rose. What happened to Rose stays with her now, and she believes it would stay with other kids, too.

"It's sad to see that person that she was before. You know that she's crying out for that. You can't stop kids from doing what they're going to do, but you can show them what the consequences will be.''

That's what Beth Pearce is trying to do.

I hope this answers some of the unfounded criticisms put on in this site's comment section. I never say in my film that ecstasy is hugely dangerous. I never give any statistics, misleading or otherwise. Dr. Ritter is quoted in the film about the effects of the drug, and as you can see, he believes there are risks involved, but his experience in the ER shows other drugs to be more dangerous.

He asked me to include a section on alcohol, which kills far more young people than ecstasy, and I did. I care about saving lives, not about attacking a particular drug.

I wanted to give parents who had suffered unspeakable losses a way to speak about those losses. I wanted to give them a sense of purpose for their childrens' lives and deaths. I've done this, and they have become wonderful friends in the process.

I do not deserve criticism or ugliness, no matter how well intentioned it might be.

I do want and need your support and prayers. I want very much to make a film about GHB, DXM and ALCOHOL. I want to make one about huffing (inhalants). I've talked to parents who have suffered through the death of their children because of these drugs, and I want to give them a voice, just as I gave the parents of Sara, Cathy, Steven and my beloved Erin voices.

My husband and I are not going to go more in debt to make the next films, however. If you would like to support me in this effort, please consider buying the Voice of the Victims films. Here are links to the both the Young Adult and Parent editions, so you can see what is in them. Here is the order page.

Thank you so very much!

Beth Pearce
Voice of the Victims
Founder/Producer/Director/Editor etc.

p.s. I just received this very affirming e-mail from Gwen, who has left some excellent comments lately on the blog. She is an expert in matters relate to drug use, abuse and addiction.

There is a new study* out that says drug awareness campaigns do not work for ecstasy. I have always said that, which is why I stopped doing lectures -- talk to a drug user and see what they laugh at – DARE especially. The study says that the majority of people KNOW ecstasy carries risks, but that's not important until they or their friends have an adverse reaction, or their doctor enlightens them. That's why I like YOUR videos and approach. You bring it as close to having a friend go through it as possible - you bring the audience INTO the life of an everyday teen we can all relate to and then add quality MEDICAL advice. No police and no government!!!

Gwen

* Is Ecstasy Perceived As Safe? A Critical Survey, Alex Gamma, Lisa Jerome, Matthias E. Liechty, Harry R. Sumnall. Peer reviewed and published in Journal of Drug and Alcohol Dependence #77, 2005

In Loving Memory of Kyle Hagmann

2005-06-20T20:40:00.000-07:00

I never met Kyle Hagmann, but I've met his family, and I love them all. Now I feel really close to Kathy Profitt too, who was his girlfriend. This is Kathy's story about Kyle.

Note: When Kathy wrote this, Kathy and Kyle's family thought Kyle may have taken GHB himself. It took a year and a half for them to find out that the drug was given to Kyle without his knowledge. His college wanted his murder to be swept under the rug.

In Loving Memory of
Kyle Hagmann

No, this e-mail will not give you bad luck, good luck, or erase your hard drive, but it might just save your life.

My name is Kathy Proffitt and Kyle Hagmann was my boyfriend who passed away on April 24, 1999 due to a GHB (Gamma Hydroxy Butyrate) overdose. Other names for this drug are Jib, Blue Nitro, Liquid Ecstasy, and Firewater. There are so many different names I can not even keep up with them. Kyle was a 4.0 junior at California Lutheran University who had a bright future ahead of him in Sports Medicine. Because of GHB, his future, our future, no longer exists.

Some of you know Kyle well and others have not even heard of his name, but for me, his family, and close friends, we deal with the loss of Kyle everyday. I want to try to spare other people from going through this type of tragedy and pain. That is why I am starting this chain letter. Before Kyle's death I really had no idea what GHB really was, now I do. Kyle did not really know what GHB was either. He looked it up on the Internet and all he got was lies. On the Internet this drug is promoted to seem like the perfect drug. Supposedly, there are no side effects. What the Internet claims is that you can get a really good night sleep, use it to party with and not have a hangover, and it also is supposed to be a muscle builder. Well, I do not know about you, but being in a coma, having seizures, and death seem like pretty important side effects to me. I guess the promoters just forgot to mention these things. You might get a good night sleep using GHB but it may end up being for eternity. You also cannot feel a hangover when you are in a coma and GHB has never really been proven to actually build muscles. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Now here is the truth about GHB. GHB is made from floor stripper and drain cleaner which becomes a central nervous system depressant. Death, coma, seizures and vomiting are all just a few side effects. The sleep that GHB puts you in is so deep that you might wet your bed because you can not wake up to use the bathroom. You can not hear the phone ring, a fire alarm, or even your own baby crying. You become completely incoherent. GHB has recently been classified as a class 1 drug. That compares it to cocaine and heroin. With GHB in the same category as these two drugs shows how serious GHB really is.

Please do not think that any of this can not happen to you because if it can happen to a wonderful person like Kyle, then it can happen to you. If you have already used GHB or are currently using it and have had good experiences, just remember, next time you take a cap full or two could be your last.

I am now asking you to please pass this letter on to everyone you know so that if they are ever faced with the choice of using GHB, they now have a few of the facts about how dangerous and deadly GHB really is. If you know of anybody using GHB, just imagine that person having a seizure, or lying in a coma, or even finding them dead the next morning. Please help me spread the word about GHB!

DO NOT LET A TRAGEDY HAPPEN TO YOU BEFORE YOU LEARN THE TRUTH ABOUT GHB. LEARN THE TRUTH NOW AND PREVENT THE TRAGEDY.

For more information on GHB, visit www.projectghb.org

R.I.P. Kyle, I am taking care of it. I will love you forever. Kathy

Thanks, Kathy! Remember, Kyle didn't willingly take GHB -- it was slipped to him by his roommate, who wanted their dorm room to himself so he could be with a girl.

Please forward this post to lots and lots of people you care about! And please, if you haven't bought my Voice of the Victims films, please consider buying them now. Sales will help finance my next film, which will tell Kyle's story. I've already interviewed his mom and sister, and all I need now is your support!

Suppliers In Sian's Death Get Warning

2005-06-20T20:37:00.000-07:00

The two boys who gave Sian Sadler the ecstasy that killed her got off with a warning, according to the Manchester (England) evening news:

Two teenagers arrested after the death of a woman thought to have taken an ecstasy tablet have been cautioned. The pair, aged 18 and 19, were arrested after Sian Sadler, 18, from Alderley Edge collapsed after a night out at the Sankeys Soap nightspot in Manchester city centre. Sian died in April after paramedics were called to an address in Wilmslow when she became ill. The teenagers were cautioned for possession.

What a tragedy. From all I know, there was no intent involved, but in many jurisdictions, death as the result of the administration of an illegal drug is a prosecutable and serious offense.

My film profiles kids who died from Ecstasy, including Sara, who's death reminds me of Sian's. View a preview here.

Tainted Ecstasy In Ireland

2005-06-20T20:36:00.000-07:00

For those of you who argue that designer drugs are safe if taken carefully, here's a new type of Ecstasy you need to avoid. I wonder how you'd know these sorts of "bad ecstasy" were around if not for sites like these, that report stories like this:

From the Irish News (June 20):

Police last night issued a warning about ecstasy tablets following the death of a 26-year-old man in Co Antrim.

The man, who is believed to be from the Lisburn area, was admitted to Lagan Valley Hospital and died after allegedly taking an unknown number of tablets known as snowballs.

Police in Lisburn said the tablets, which bear a snowball motif, were also believed to have been taken by a number of other people who were treated for symptoms in hospital throughout yesterday.

They reportedly suffered symptoms such as changes to their heart rate, a feeling that they were on the verge of collapse, drowsiness or a desire to sleep.

Stay safe. Your kids need to be educated about the risk of mislabed Ecstasy. It's discussed in the Parent Edition of my film, and in the story of Steven, who died after taking PMA, a very dangerous Ecstasy replacement drug.

Minneapolis Drug Deaths

2005-06-20T20:35:00.000-07:00

Hazelton, the drug treatment center, has released a study on 2004 drug use in Minnesota's Twin Cities area, including this information on drug deaths:

Opiate-related accidental overdose deaths outnumbered those for any other illicit drug with 72 in 2004 (compared with 49 for cocaine, 20 for meth, and 8 for MDMA -- "ecstasy").

The full report is available through Hazelton.

I Almost Died From XTC

2005-06-03T23:02:00.000-07:00

I received this letter on the message board of my Voice of the Victims web site. It's long, but it's about a life almost cut short by Ecstasy, and it's worth reading and sharing.

here is my story..

I first did the drug xtc when I was 14 years old. I didn't know how hard of a drug it was until I took it.. but by then I liked it so much I never wanted to stop. I did it for about 3 years and a half frequently, during that time I've had panic attacks attacks to where I felt like I was going to die, I've blacked out, I've vomited a lot, or I can just say I had lots of bad trips. But I can't lie it was really fun.. I made so many friends and I just felt so alive. October 2004 I was expelled for giving selling student ecstasy who had got sick, that was another bad experience I had with X.. the cops were telling me that if i didn't fess up that she might have died and I would be charged for man slaughter.. So, I stoped E for about 2 months because my probation officer was watching me really close. I finally started Continuation school.

This year January 3,2005.. I took E with a girl I met. We split it half & half. 50 mins went by I didn't feel anything.. So, I was thinking to myself this isn't going to do anything.. normally it kicks in within 25 minutes. So, that day I decided to cut school early and just go smoke some pot at the park with 2 of my guy friends. I started feeling really shaky and nervous.. I thought my teeth were grinding and I was walking to the water fountain drinking a lot of water. They saw I was starting to tweek out and they left. Luckily I made it home. I went in my room and locked the door, I thought I was just going to sleep it off and I had one of those big leater bottles of water drinking it. I think I drank about 2. I was vomiting on the side of my bed, everything was starting to blur out, my back and spine started to feel really, really tense. I started freaking out. Finally my brother came in the room, he was wondering why I raced in so fast and didn't say anything. I was yelling at him "get out" then he saw all the water I was throwing up.. he was fighting with me over the water bottle. He was asking me what I took and I told him I only had a beer but he didn't belive it. All of a sudden I colapsed.. After that it was a big blur. I can faintly remember being took the ambulance and someone was asking me what I took but I could hear then but I was so out of it I couldn't answer. I remember people sticking tubes down my throat and knose and throwing up black stuff. They shoved liquid charcol down my throat to absorb what I took and pumped it back up. I was grinding my teeth for 8 hours straight. Finally after about 20 hours of doing test they found out what was wrong with me. I had drank too much water and my sodium level was low which makes you retain water to the back of your brain. During that time I had a fever of 105.. My heart beat went really low. I didn't wake up until 4 days later. When I woke up my mom, family, friends, boyfriend was there. My mom looked like she was half way dead. They started asking me questions like whats 5 + 5 to make sure I wasn't fried. My head hurt for about 2 weeks straight after that non-stop. They said I was one of the wrost xtc cases they have ever had.

Now it's 6 months later. I still have head trama. I wake up in the middle of the night and my pupils dialate, my whole body feels numb, and i have panic attacks. I tell myself I will never touch that drug again but in the back of my mind I still want to but I know it's not worth it. I wish I would remember all of what happend to me. My uncle told me he never saw anyone so close to dieing before (keep in mind my uncle has seen a lot of people messed up on drugs, he's done pretty much every drug there is when he was younger.) I can't put my family and friends through that again. XTC makes me you feel like you're on top of the world, when people tell you they don't want you to do it you bc you may die.. you think they're just trying to ruin you're good time and there jealous bc there not having fun. But, most the time they are looking out for you. You always think it will never happen to you. You say you'll only do it a certain number of times more, but the FACT is you never know where you're going to get a bad pill, have a bad reaction, dehydrate, drink too much water. It's like you're rolling a dice waiting to get doubles. You can die the 1st time you take E, the 2nd, 3rd, or the 100th. From my experience I'd say don't take the chance of making it the next time you do it.

The stupidest thing I ever thought is that I'd be ok when I was sick from it. To people who do E, always be around someone that WILL take you to a hospital if you get sick. Never think that you'll be ok if you feel like something is seriously wrong with you. Some people it takes a near death experience to get it through there head. It's great but it's not worth your life.

Update: How true is here experience? How common? Too true, too common, but that's not really even the point. The point is that there is risk, and there is a lack of appreciation of that risk, as you can see as you read the comments to this post. I suggest you counterbalance those comments by viewing my film. I'd appreciate it if you would buy it, so I can make my next film (on GHB, dex and alcohol), but here's the link to the previews.

GHB Rape Conviction in Toronto

2005-06-02T18:51:00.000-07:00

Please share this story with women you know because education is the most powerful tool we have to combat drug-assisted rape. The three women sexually assaulted by the despicable man are victims of a vile man who is content to abuse and harm innocent women for his selfish, immediate lusts. Let's pray for a long sentence for this guy!

As reported in the Toronto Sun:

A WEALTHY Toronto businessman who plied three vulnerable women with wine spiked with a date rape drug to satisfy his lust was found guilty yesterday by a jury.

Alexo Orphanou, 42, was convicted of three counts of sexual assault and one count of administering a stupefying drug to commit sexual assault in 2002 against three women, now aged 21, 24 and 30.

"He found women he could target, invited them back to an empty office under the guise of doing a legitimate wine survey, then plied them with alcohol and GHB," Crown attorney Erin Pancer said.

None of the victims knew each other, but all of them told eerily similar accounts of first being interviewed by the accused for telemarketing jobs. Later, he invited them to conduct a wine-tasting survey for $50 after office hours.

Each felt weakened and dizzy and Orphanou massaged, stripped and sexually assaulted them on a pullout couch in his Eglinton Ave. office. ...

"When the women were incapacitated, he had his way with them," Spratt said. "These women don't know each other, yet all of their evidence seems so incredibly similar."

GHB Victims In Quebec

2005-06-02T18:33:00.000-07:00

One of the problems with designer drugs is that they are manufactured illicitly, with little or no quality control. Another is that they are often in the hands of irresponsible people. Put that combination together, and you can get this, as reported by the Canadian Press:

A 24-year-old man will appear in court Thursday to face drug charges in relation to the intoxication of eight nightclubbers who were hospitalized after ingesting a mysterious substance.

The accused, from St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., will be charged with possession of an illegal substance and possession for the purpose of trafficking.

Six of the eight people, aged 18 to 26, were hospitalized May 21 after taking GHB, also known as the date-rape drug. The other two consumed too much alcohol.

Four of the men had been in the intensive care unit, one after suffering a heart attack.

According to police, the accused consumed GHB with a friend and then put it in the glasses of the other people.

Ecstasy: The Love Drug?

2005-05-31T07:07:00.000-07:00

Mark Hobson will spend the rest of his life in prison because, to quote his own excuse, he was high on Ecstasy, alcohol and other drugs when he murdered four people.

First was his wife, whom he hit in the head 17 times with a hammer. Quoting from the Guardian:

Hobson told police he had taken a cocktail of drugs including cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy and alcohol and could remember nothing about his girlfriend's death. He claimed to have lost a day and a half and come round with a bloodstained hammer in his hand.

Later, he lured his sister-in-law into a trap, molested her viciously, and killed her. Then he murdered an elderly couple in a town 25 miles away.

Ecstasy frequently shows up in the blood or the confessions of people who have murdered deliberately or killed by causing car accidents. Admittedly, Hobson only blamed drugs for the first murder, and admittedly, he is not your typical designer drug user. But the myth that Ecstasy is all about love and good feelings is just that: A myth. Ecstasy is just a drug, not some magic potion. It alters the brain chemistry, and that can, and periodically does, lead to all sorts of unintended consequences.

Wet?! Ugh!

2005-05-31T06:58:00.000-07:00

While researching stories for my blog, I came across a story on crime in Camden, NJ, which mentioned how the drug trade and crime went hand in hand, and that one of the popular new drugs was "Wet," marijuana dipped in embalming fluid.

It makes me wonder ... was someone just sitting around with some embalming fluid and say, "I wonder if this will make you high?" Or is the drug marketing industry just up to its usual terrible business?

Pop Star Pink Nearly A Ketamine Death

2005-05-31T06:48:00.000-07:00

The London Daily News reports that popular recording star Pink almost had no career at all, since she nearly died at 15 from a "drug cocktail" containing Ketamine, Ecstasy and a host of other drugs. It was enough for her, she said; now she has "no interest whatsoever" in drugs.

THE pop singer Pink nearly died after overdosing on a cocktail of drugs including ketamine when she was 15.

The traumatic experience, i n which she also took crystal meth, angel dust, Ecstasy, cocaine and marijuana, shocked her into turning away from drugs.

Pink, 25, whose real name is Alecia Moore, ... said that she became surrounded by drugs such as ketamine when she joined the club scene in her home town of Philadelphia but ' wouldn ' t recommend it to anybody'.

She added: 'I came close to death so many times. I guess my parents are happy I didn't end up on a street corner somewhere or lying in the dirt.

'I got everything out of my system when I was 13, 14, 15, and now I have no interest whatsoever.'

"Love Bombs" Target Youngsters

2005-05-10T21:05:00.000-07:00

Here's some very distressing news from an undercover probe of nightclubs that ran in England's News of the World:

... the most shocking aspect of our probe was the targeting of pre-teen kids.
Called "Love Bombs", the tablets look like heart-shaped sweets and cost just 30p [65 cents] each. They are lower strength and deliberately designed to appeal to youngsters at drink-free teen discos.

We found them being peddled in Glasgow by Gary Patterson, a dealer who has a string of convictions. Patterson, 33, told us: "They're cheap as chips [french fries] but not as strong so ideal for your less experienced clubber — kids. They're popular at kiddy discos. You pop one, space out for an hour. If it's getting close to mum and dad picking you up, you stop taking them." He handed over two sample bags.

Drug marketers are not satisfied with the havoc, addiction and death they are causing adults, so now they are deliberately targeting our youngsters. Now is the time to pass harsh new laws to target those who sell drugs to youngsters. Let's put these people away for a long, long time.

What Ecstasy Takes Away

2005-05-10T20:59:00.000-07:00

Here is a photo of Ecstasy victim Sian Sadler, 19, died last week after taking Ecstasy at a nightclub in England. What a lovely girl; what a tragic loss.

This week, the nightclub is still open, and dealers are still selling their wares there.

Ecstasy: The Love Drug?!

2005-05-10T20:28:00.000-07:00

Normally, the headline above is reserved for stories about murders committed by people high on the "love drug," Ecstasy. This one is a little different, from Bangkok:

A British drug dealer has sentenced his Thai girlfriend to death by posting her more than 2,000 Ecstasy tablets from London. The 27-year-old girl was yesterday charged with dealing in a Class 1 drug, which carries the sentence of death by lethal injection under Thai law.

Huge Ketamine Bust

2005-05-10T20:19:00.000-07:00

When I talk about designer drugs, I get more blank looks when I mentioned ketamine than GHB or ecstasy, especially around parents. When I read about busts like this, even far away in the Philippines, it is clear that people will become more familiar ... and that's sad.

Some 7,000 kilos (15,000 pounds) of ketamine ... were seized by the authorities who raided a house in Quezon City yesterday. The joint elements of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Another Bad Guy Busted

2005-05-08T20:45:00.000-07:00

I love seeing things like this in the public record columns of newspapers. This is from the Greenville (South Carolina) News:

Paul John Scheele, 25, 323 Havenhurst Drive, Taylors, transporting drugs, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute near a school, possession of ecstasy with intent to distribute, possession of ecstasy with intent to distribute near a school and/or park, possesssion of schedule IV drugs, possession of schedule II drugs, possession of schedule III drugs.

Club Where Kids Died Closes

2005-05-08T20:31:00.000-07:00

I shared with you in a post last week about two Canadian girls that died after taking Ecstasy. Now the club where they were partying before their death has closed.

The Nitrous Lounge, located in Thorold just past the Niagara Falls boundary, sits empty but Niagara Regional Police and Thorold municipal officials maintain it wasn't their doing.

Thorold Mayor Robin Brock said she received a call from a concerned person worried about the impaired condition of some of the young people leaving the club in the early-morning hours.

The mayor said police were notified and they visited the club on a regular basis, but because no alcohol was served, their hands were tied as to what laws they could enforce.

The owners of the club couldn't be reached for comment. I bet. What slime; making their living off of putting young people at risk. They're probably hiding under a rock somewhere.

Here's the solution, from The Straights Times in Malaysia:

TWO operators of a popular nightspot in Malacca have been charged with allowing drugs to be consumed in their disco. This makes them the first club owners to be brought to court since Deputy Internal Security Minister Datuk Noh Omar directed the police early last month to enforce Section 13(C) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.

SWAT Digest Tells Sara's Story

2005-05-02T21:50:00.000-07:00

Thank you SWAT Digest for telling your readers the story of Sara, the tragic story of homicide by the drug Ecstasy. Law enforcement officers need to know how evil and criminal the designer drug world is, because they have the opportunity to reach kids in positive ways, and help them to make smarter decisions.

Read the story here.

Sara's story is one of four designer drug tragedies told in my film True Stories of Ecstasy & Ketamine. The film is designed to help parents, teens and young adults become aware of what can happen to those who use these drugs, and hundreds of people have emailed me, telling me of the positive effect the film has had on them or their loved ones.

"Murder by Drugs" Law Challenged

2005-05-02T21:45:00.000-07:00

I know of several cases of people who died because they were given drugs without their knowledge, including Sara, Kyle and Hillory. None of their murderers were prosecuted, and now drug attorneys in Pennsylvania are attacking one of the laws that makes it possible to prosecute for "drug delivery resulting in death" crimes.

The Pittsburgh Post Gazette reported yesterday on that the state's drug delivery resulting in death statute:

According to the statute, drug delivery resulting in death is third-degree murder. It carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a $15,000 fine.

The law was enacted in 1989, but state Superior Court ruled that version unconstitutional in 1996 because it was too vague.

The Legislature returned with a new version in 1998, but that statute, too, has come under fire.

It is being challenged in the state Supreme Court as a result of a case from Allegheny County. Gregory D. Ludwig, of Rochester, was charged with drug delivery resulting in death in May 2001.

Ludwig sold Ecstasy to an acquaintance, who distributed it to her friends. One of them, Brandy French, 16, of Sewickley, took it at a rock concert and died the next day.

Patrick Thomassey, Ludwig's attorney, sees two problems with the charge against his client.

First, Ludwig didn't sell the Ecstasy to French. Second, there is no way the prosecution could prove malice, a required element of third-degree murder.

"You can't have a murder without malice," Thomassey said.

Malice, under law, is described as a "hardness of heart" and a complete disregard for differences between right and wrong.

"In a consensual drug transaction, there cannot be malice," Thomassey said.

Not true, countered John Burkhoff, a law professor at the University of Pittsburgh.

"We don't have the defense of consent to homicide crimes," Burkhoff said. "That defense simply doesn't exist for homicide."

There's much more to the story, so read it all here.

Rash of Drug Rapes in Kitchener, Ontario

2005-05-02T21:38:00.000-07:00

From the Kitchener Record:

Teenage girls as young as 14 are seeking counselling for sexual assault after being given date-rape drugs, a local crisis centre says.

This month, counsellors took an increased number of calls about Rohypnol, Ketamine and GHB, commonly-known as date-rape drugs, said Anna Haanstra, spokesperson for the Kitchener-Waterloo Sexual Assault Support Centre.

The agency gets about 100 crisis calls a month, she said. This month, about a dozen calls were from young Cambridge women between 14 and 18 or from their mothers. This figure represents an increase in calls from Cambridge, Haanstra said.

"The fact that we have seen an increase shows us it's an issue beyond the cases we have seen," she said. "Most women don't know to call us."

Drug-assisted rape isn't just a big city crime, a college crime or a Spring Break crime. It's spreading and it has to be stopped! I strongly suggest that prosecuters add attempted murder charges to rape charges whenever they can, and that they always push for the maximum sentence because of the dangerous and degrading nature of these crimes.

Update: In Reno, police reported that 34 out of 205 sexual assaults in that city in 2004 were drug-assisted. That's over 16 percent!

Tainted Ecstasy?

2005-05-02T21:31:00.000-07:00

Police in Canada are investigating the suspicious deaths of two Niagara teenagers, according to the St. Catharine's Standard newspaper.

Friends say the two girls may have taken tainted Ecstasy, which is certainly possible. That's what killed Steven, who's story is told in True Stories of Ecstasy and Ketamine.

But what troubles me about this story is what the deceased girls' friends said:

A friend of the Niagara Falls teen said she believes her friend's death was the result of taking tainted drugs, rather than an overdose.

"(She) was responsible. She knew her limit," the girl said.

The level of denial is unbelievable. Here a friend has died, yet this girl continues to think that Ecstasy is safe. It is not manufactured under pharmaceutical conditions, so you never know what you're getting. Cathy, who is also profiled in True Stories, took the same amount of the same batch of Ecstasy that more than 30 other kids took at their Senior Prom. She died, they didn't even get sick.

And people think they can trust this drug!

Three Ruined Lives In England

2005-05-02T21:26:00.000-07:00

From the Liverpool (England) Daily Post & Echo:

A FAMILY paid tribute yesterday to a teenage girl who died following a night out.

Sian Sadler, who was 18, is believed to have taken the dance drug ecstasy during a night out in Manchester on Saturday.

The shop assistant, from Alderley Edge, Cheshire, was found dead at a house in nearby Wilmslow on Sunday morning.

Two men, aged 18 and 19, were arrested on suspicion of supplying a Class A drug and later released on police bail.

Here is the statement from Sian's parents:

"Sian was a beautiful girl. She was kind and loving. She was such fun to be with and had a brilliant sense of humour. She was a hard-working and very popular girl who was always smiling and happy. Her tragic loss has left a void that can never be filled."

How sad, how true.

Ecstasy: The Love Drug?!

2005-05-02T21:20:00.000-07:00

A Wisconsin man has proved once again that Ecstasy is hardly the "love drug" that many think it is.

Gregg Phillips, 25, has recently found guilty of two counts of murder committed while he admittedly was high on Ecstasy. He faces life in prison at his sentencing on June 22.

Prosecutors said Phillips fatally shot his girlfriend in their hotel room last November. After that murder, Phillips ran into a hallway and randomly shoot at guests who opened their doors, killing a German businessman and wounding two other guests.

Phillips testified that he had been drinking and taking Ecstasy that night. The love drug, indeed!

Ketamine Maker Outted By Copley

2005-05-02T20:51:00.000-07:00

Copley News Service moved a story over its wire on Sunday that hasn't yet been picked up in any newspapers scanned by my media database ... but it's a quite a tale.

Here's the lead to the story, which is visible on the Copley site; you have to purchase the story to read the rest:

There aren't enough dogs and cats in Mexico to warrant the amount of an animal anesthetic that Laboratorios Ttokkyo manufactured at a factory near Mexico City.

Not that it mattered - Ttokkyo was producing the drug for human consumption.

Its primary distributor was a Tijuana veterinary supply store operator who smuggled the drug, ketamine, through San Diego to drug abusers as far away as New York and Miami who knew the substance as "Special K."

Erin Rose, who's story is told in my film and who lived with my family for a number of months, suffered a life-changing brain injury from Mexican Ketamine, so this story hits very close to home.

As soon as a newspaper publishes the story, I'll provide you with a link so you can read the whole thing. It's amazing. Here's a hint of what's to come:

Federal investigators said most of the ketamine abused in the United States a few years ago came from the Ttokkyo factory of Dr. Jose Francisco Molina Alvarado. His lawyers called him "a national treasure" in Mexico for his work in pharmaceutical research and said he spent years working on improving the health of millions of people.

His primary partner was Jorge Chevreuil Bravo, 43, who took over the veterinary supply company his father founded 40 years earlier and built it into a chain with 14 stores, mostly along the U.S. border and in beach resorts frequented by young people on spring break, prosecutors said.

From middle-class beginnings, the men developed a criminal enterprise that drew the attention of drug cartels, led to kidnapping attempts and shootouts on Tijuana streets and landed both in prison, prosecutors said.

"It was a cartel," said San Diego DEA office spokesman Misha Piastro. "It controlled the production, the transportation and the distribution of an illicit substance. It was a drug cartel in its own right."

The group also was a big producer and distributor of steroids, but because those were legal without a prescription in Mexico at the time, the investigation focused on ketamine, authorities said.

Low Cost Ecstasy Blamed In Death

2005-05-02T20:46:00.000-07:00

From the London Daily Mail:

A 25-YEAR-OLD man has died after taking Ecstasy, the latest in a series of drug-related deaths.

Paramedics failed to revive the man, who was found dying in a flat in Hull, at 2.45am on Saturday.

A post-mortem is due tomorrow. Police, who are investigating, blame prices of Pounds 1 a tablet for a 'binge culture' in Britain.

A couple bucks for an Ecstasy tablet is bad news indeed...

A Good Ecstasy Refresher Course

2005-04-25T22:28:00.000-07:00

From the St. Catharines Ontario Standard:

Known by the monikers of E, X, XTC or the Hug Drug, ecstasy is both a stimulant and hallucinogen.

A synthetic drug developed by underground chemists, ecstasy contains the chemical compound methylenedioxymethamphetamine, or MDMA, but its true contents are relatively unknown.

"You can never really know what you're taking," Bleich said, adding the pills are often laced with other chemicals.

"Some people try one pill and don't get much of a reaction, so they feel like they should double up the next time and that's when they start getting into real problems."

Ecstasy interferes with the body's temperature regulating mechanism, and body temperature can increase to dangerous levels.

Essentially, ecstasy causes the heart to work harder, but less efficiently.

Risks include severe dehydration and heat exhaustion, abnormal heart beat and liver problems. It can also lead to anoxic enceophalopathy, or lack of oxygen to the brain, resulting in coma or death. Taking additional drugs, or alcohol, increases the risks.

Little is known about the long-term effects of the drug, but preliminary research suggests ecstasy use can damage the brain's ability to regulate emotion and memory.

The drug also dries out the mouth and throat, which users try to combat by drinking large quantities of water.

Drinking too much water, however, can cause the brain to swell, leading to coma or even death. In one case in Toronto, a man died as a result of drinking too much water.

Monster Designer Drug Bust

2005-04-25T22:15:00.000-07:00

Way to go, Quebec cops! They found 14,000 litres of GHB (over 3,000 gallons), 14,000 ecstasy pills and 7,000 speed pills at a home. An unidentified 44-year-old man is under arrest.

Reports of Lower Ecstasy Use

2005-04-25T22:01:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the efforts of so many -- and 9/11 -- Ecstasy use among teens in teh US appears to be dropping. First, 9/11:

Tighter airport security since the 9/11 attacks has pinched the flow of the drug into the USA from chief suppliers in the Netherlands and Belgium, making it less available and more expensive.

And some experts think the messages against Ecstasy coming from Voice of the Victims and numerous other sources may actually be working:

Teens and young adults have taken note. Last year, 57.7% of high school seniors said they believed that taking Ecstasy just once or twice could harm them, up from 33.8% in 1997, according to an annual survey of teen drug use by the University of Michigan.

That's all great, but a couple things worry me. Ecstasy use is crazy popular in Europe and Asia, and manufacturers there will work hard to penetrate the vast American market.

And there's a big difference between understanding the risks of drugs and making the right choices in the emotional venue of parties, friends and peer pressure.

For more information, see USA Today coverage here and here.

GHB Rape Conviction Stands

2005-04-25T21:49:00.000-07:00

A judge in British Columbia has let a conviction for GHB rape stand. From the Victoria, British Columbia Times Columnist:

A Victoria man convicted of sexual assault while he and the female victim were high on the "date-rape" drug GHB has had an appeal of his conviction dismissed by the B.C. Court of Appeal.

Michael Ryan Goodliffe was sentenced on July 8, 2003, to 30 months in a federal penitentiary after being convicted on one charge and acquitted on two others.

The December 2001 assault occurred after the 17-year-old girl came home to her Fifth Street basement suite to find her boyfriend and Goodliffe there. She was drunk after visiting friends and accepted a dose of GHB from one of the two males. She passed out and awoke later to find Goodliffe having sex with her.

One Less Scumbag

2005-04-16T00:12:00.000-07:00

Police in Indonesia are not known for their human rights sensitivity, but I can't say I see too big of a problem in this recent case:

Indonesian police have killed a drug baron in a raid on his factory that produced more than 232 million dollars worth of ecstasy pills a year, state media said Wednesday.

Hans Phillip was shot dead in the raid last Friday in Bogor, south of the Indonesian capital Jakarta, the head of the National Agency on Narcotics, General Commissioner Sutanto, said, according to the Antara news agency.

Police arrested two others in the raid, he said.

Sutanto said Phillip was one of the most wanted drug traffickers whose factory had produced ecstasy pills worth 2.2 trillion rupiah (232 million dollars) every year since 2000.

"He was also known as a chemical expert, lab architect and controlled drug trade of international scale," he said.

Recently, Indonesia has become a significant manufacturer and user of drugs, despite the fact that the death penalty can be imposed for drug offences.

Vet Used Ketamine To Kill Hubby?

2005-04-16T00:04:00.000-07:00

Investigators in Texas have charged a vet with hiding evidence of a crime -- specifically, her husband's body, by tying it to cinder blocks and throwing it in a pond.

The story in the Bangor Daily News (sorry, the site's search engine was down, so I can't provide a link) says Texas police searched the vet's home for ketamine, a common animal traquilizer frequently used by vets. Their theory: The vet knocked out her hubby with the colorless, almost tasteless drug, killed him, and tossed him in the pond. The story notes:

Ketamine is a lethal, rapid-acting anesthetic marketed to veterinarians. It is also a party drug that can produce numbness, muscle rigidity and slurred speech.

It is often used in drug-assisted rapes. For more on Ketamine, click here and here.

Another Ecstasy "Overdose"

2005-04-15T23:54:00.000-07:00

A common misperception with Ecstasy deaths is that they are caused by overdoses. How does that jibe with this detail from a coronors inquest in Australia?

James Andrew Dzundza, 34, an information technology contractor, was declared dead in an ambulance about 4.35am on Sunday, July 18, 2004. He had collapsed on to the floor of the Minque nightclub in Manuka about 4am while leaving to go to another club. Ivica Aleksic had supplied Mr Dzundza -whom he had known for about six months through his brother Brojan Aleksic -with one ecstasy tablet.

One tablet can kill. One killed Cathy, whose story I tell in my film, and one killed James Andrew Dzundza.

Ecstasy Now #2 Drug In Europe

2005-04-15T23:47:00.000-07:00

The European Union's annual drug report has found that Ecstasy is the second most popular drug in Europe, after marijuana.

This surge in Ecstasy use is also seen in Asia and, I believe, here in the US, even though US drug agencies say that Ecstasy use is declining here. I believe in the US surveys, they're just asking the wrong question. Kids often call Ecstasy by the name of the Ecstasy pills they've taken recently, not by "Ecstasy" itself.

What's Wrong WIth Our Courts?!

2005-04-11T17:30:00.000-07:00

Regular readers know my concern is about drugs that harm our families. I just don't want there to be any more victims of the heartbreak drugs can cause.

Of course, there are victims of other crimes, and my heart goes out to them, too. That's why this story, from the San Jose Mercury News, so infuriated me:

Federal court reverses 1995 murder conviction
FAMILY PHOTO BUTTONS CALLED INFLAMMATORY

By Howard Mintz

Mercury News
The appeals court ruling stems from a fatal May 1994 confrontation in the driveway of Pamela Musladin's mother's home in South San Jose. At the time, Pamela Musladin had been separated for months from her husband and had been living there with the Musladins' 3-year-old son and Studer, a 31-year-old plumber and her fiance.
A federal appeals court on Friday overturned a 10-year-old San Jose murder conviction, finding the defendant did not receive a fair trial because the victim's family was allowed to sit each day in the front row of the courtroom wearing buttons bearing photographs of the victim.

In a 2-1 decision, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Mathew Musladin is entitled to a new trial for the 1994 killing of his estranged wife's boyfriend outside a Blossom Valley home. Musladin, 45, is currently serving a life prison term for the first-degree murder of Thomas Allen Studer and the attempted murder of his now ex-wife, Pamela.

The state has the option of asking an 11-judge 9th Circuit panel to reconsider the decision, or send the case back to San Jose for a new trial. Santa Clara County prosecutors vowed to retry Musladin, 45, who has maintained that he was acting in self-defense and that Studer's death was an accident.

Musladin will remain in prison while the case proceeds. ...

Mathew Musladin arrived at the home to pick up his 3-year-old son for a weekend visitation when an argument broke out in front of the house. Court records show that Musladin fired shots at Pamela and Studer, hitting Studer in the shoulder and then in the head with a bullet that ricocheted off the pavement. [Note: O'Reilly said Studer was shot from behind.]

Musladin admitted shooting Studer, but claimed that he believed Studer had a gun and that another man at the house had a machete. He testified that he feared for his life when he fired the shots.

In the appeals court ruling, 9th Circuit Judges Stephen Reinhardt and Martha Berzon found that allowing the family to wear the buttons in front of the jury was particularly inflammatory because of Musladin's argument that he was acting in self-defense. The trial judge had rejected Musladin's lawyer's request for the family to cease wearing the buttons. ...

The Ninth Circuit has proved, once again, that it is capable of making the most bizarre decisions imaginable. My heart goes out to the Studer family. They should not have to live through the pain of this trial again.

Talk To Your Kids About Drugs

2005-04-03T14:03:00.000-07:00

The San Antonio News Gazette has a good story about how important it is for parents to talk to their kids about drugs:

Ginger Katz was about to head out for her 6 a.m. run when she noticed son Ian's television was still on in his basement bedroom. This was the day he had agreed to check himself into rehab for a heroin addiction he had acquired his sophomore year in college.

When she entered her son's room, he was dead, his body cold.

Ian, a former soccer star, had apparently decided to do one more dance with his drug of choice and overdosed.

"You don't want to hear the sound a mother makes when she loses a son," says Katz, speaking by telephone from her home in Connecticut. "It's an unnatural sound, a horrible sound."

Although Ian died eight years ago, the pain is still fresh for Katz, who went on to found The Courage to Speak Foundation, for which she travels the country, teaching kids and adults about the dangers of substance abuse.

"This is my cross to bear, and I will carry it the rest of my life," she says.

The last time Kate Patton saw her beloved daughter, Kelley, was on Nov. 3, 1999 - Patton's birthday. The family had a lovely time together, then Kelley left her Rolling Meadows, Ill., home for the East coast to catch a Bob Dylan concert with friends.

Eleven days later she was dead, overdosed on the club drug Ecstasy.

"When the police came I thought she had died in a car crash or something," says Patton. "When they told me it was Ecstasy, I was totally blown away. I had no idea of what had taken my daughter's life, not a clue."

Like Katz, Patton has since educated herself and started her own nationwide program called the Kelley McEnery Baker Foundation to warn youth and their parents on the dangers of drug addiction.

The two women share another similarity: Neither initiated in-depth and ongoing discussions with their children about the evils of substance abuse, falling prey to the "it can't happen to my child" syndrome. While they did talk some, the conversation about drugs wasn't a concerted, serious effort, and it didn't start early on, before the teen years hit.

Katz and Patton have the same lament that most parents have when their kids die from drugs: Why didn't I talk with my child about drugs? My film is designed to help parents have this all-important conversation. Lots of parents have thanked me for how well it works. There's a summary of the Voice of the Victims approach here.

Spring Break Drug Rape Alert!

2005-04-03T13:58:00.000-07:00

It's spring break in Daytona, and drug-facilitated rapes are in the news:

Since mid-March, the start of spring break for many, 20 women have sought help at the center, including 10 whose assaults were classified as "drug-facilitated," meaning they reported being impaired.

Usually one of 10 sexual assaults fits the category, Williams said.

The women may have simply consumed too much alcohol or unwittingly swallowed drinks spiked with such date-rape drugs as GHB or Rohyponol. The center tested the women for drugs.

Eight of the 10 "drug-facilitated" assault victims were under 21, the legal drinking age in Florida. Three were 16 or younger. Some did not remember what happened.

This story is repeated at spring break towns all over the country, and at university towns when it's not spring break. What has happened to our young men? When did this type of criminal behavior become something they embrace so easily?

Ecstasy: The Almost Kill Your Baby Drug

2005-04-03T13:52:00.000-07:00

Ecstasy, the "love drug." That's what lots of kids think, but how do you explain this? (From the Minneapolis Star Tribune, registration required):

Timothy Staten shook, bit and dropped his 2-year-old daughter and threw her into a wall and down a stairway, leaving the child fighting for her life with a fractured skull, bleeding of the brain and facial injuries, authorities in Red Wing, Minn., said Wednesday.

Staten appeared to be in a drug-induced rage when he bloodied the toddler and another child early Tuesday, punched his pregnant wife as many as 100 times, struggled with five police officers, broke a leather restraint and fought with jailers, according to a criminal complaint.

His daughter was in critical condition late Wednesday in St. Marys Hospital in Rochester, where she was taken by air ambulance. An emergency room staff member said initially that the child was expected to live, but Goodhue County Attorney Steve Betcher said Wednesday that she underwent several emergency surgeries and "has been on the verge of death."

Found in Staten's house: blue pills, what appeared to be marijuana and "a whole bunch of ecstasy."

Wisconsinites, Unite Against Huffing!

2005-04-03T13:43:00.000-07:00

Here's a sad letter from the Green Bay WI Gazette, that shows how tragedy can lead to activism, which can lead to big changes for the better.

Tell the lawmakers to pass this bill

SISTER BAY -- On June 29, 2001, my son Aaron Wake tragically died from "huffing" butane. Huffing, bagging and sniffing are terms for inhalant use, a cheap and easy way for our children and young adults to get high.

Parents and adults are out of the loop when it comes to inhalants. Children discuss it and practice it; adults stay in the dark. Most parents try to talk with their kids about alcohol, marijuana, ecstasy and date rape, but not about inhalants abuse.

The numbers are startling. At least one in five 8th graders has intentionally inhaled everyday products at the risk of brain damage and even death, reports the 2003 National Institute on Drug Abuse "Monitoring the Future Survey."

Inhalant abuse, most common in the 10-12 age group, is also considered a "gateway drug," a student's first form of substance abuse before graduating to other drugs. Assembly Bill 818 has been introduced to the Legislature to make the intentional misuse of household products and nonprescription drugs to get high illegal. Please call or write your state legislator in support of this necessary law. It will assist our police officers in working with our youth.

For further information: www.inhalants.org; www.wisinhalantprevention.com or Wisconsin Poison Control Center, (800) 222-1222.

Laurie Culp, Aaron's mom

My heart goes out to Laurie in her tragedy, and I hope you'll pass this post along to anyone you know in Wisconsin. Huffing is taking a terrible toll on pre-teens and teens.