GET 'EM WHILE THEY'RE YOUNG

The Forestdale School was home to the first of a series of forums targeting
seventh- and eighth-graders on the dangers and repercussions of using drugs,
especially OxyContin.

"We're counting on you guys as young community leaders to take this
education and tell your friends, your parents, your brothers and sisters,"
said Ward 7 Councilor Chris Simonelli, who heads the city's Drug Task Force.
"There's no leeway with this drug. We're losing a lot of young people like
yourself because of it."

The March 18 forum was particularly focused on increased use of OxyContin
and heroin around the city.

Police Chief Ken Coye, also a member of the Drug Task Force, told students
that OxyContin was originally created in 1996 to relieve chronic pain.
Addicts, who often crush and snort the 80 milligram pills, describe a "high"
similar to crack cocaine, but with a much stronger addiction.

Once OxyContin, which costs between $80-100 a pill, becomes too expensive
addicts often turn to heroin.

"This drug is killing suburbia," Coye said, adding that OxyContin addiction
is especially cruel. "You get nothing out of it but a life of endless,
endless agony."

The drug also often forces kids to steal from their parents and relatives,
"and these are people that love each other," he said.

Coye ended by reading an e-mail he received from a woman he knows who wants
to help discourage kids from taking drugs such as OxyContin. Her daughter
has been in detox 10 times in the past three years and she's been waiting to
get a phone call telling her her daughter is dead.

Anson Butler, a former NFL football player, also spoke to the students about
his experiences with drugs and alcohol in college and the pros.

"I made my own choices," he said. "I chose to drink, I chose to get high on
marijuana. I thought I was invincible."

Butler said he routinely hung with his hardest partying teammates and never
said "no" to the peer pressure around him.

"I just wanted to fit in," he said.

Butler said he inevitably paid the price for making the wrong decisions.
After getting injured, he ended up with the New England Patriots where his
career ended after he couldn't pass his physical.

And instead of winning a Super Bowl, a lifelong dream, Butler found himself
in court with no idea how he had gotten to such a low point in his life.

"It doesn't have to be that way with you guys. You don't have to be like
Mike, you can just be yourself," he said. "You can be whatever you want with
hard work."

Butler, who has a degree in social work, now helps addicts rebuild their
life and speaks to school and college students about the of pitfalls drugs
and alcohol.

"Nobody is exempt from this madness," he said.

During the hour-long forum, a video from District Attorney Martha Coakley's
office was also shown detailing the experiences of former teen addicts and
with comments from medical professionals who've seen the increase in
OxyContin deaths and overdoses in the last few years.

Forestdale Principal Maurine Chirichetti told the students that her
aspiration is for them to go onto great things in high school and beyond.
She encouraged them to talk to parents or teachers if they or someone else
has a problem with drugs or alcohol.

"It's very easy to go down the wrong road," Chirichetti said. "Now is the
time to change that."

The Drug Task Force is planning to hold a similar forum for middle school
students at each of the city's other elementary schools.