GETTING PARENTS INVOLVED FOR THE LONG FIGHT

Officials with the Stillwater High School Parent Teacher
Association hope to form a task force of parents, teachers and
students to combat an OxyContin abuse problem at the school.

PTA President Carol Lewis told an audience Tuesday at the Performing
Arts Center it will take a combined effort to overcome the drug problem.

"I hope you leave here encouraged," Lewis said. "It took us a while to
get into this position and it will be a while before we get out of it.
We want to have as many parents involved as we can to help solve this
problem."

Lewis said she hoped the task force would look at a variety of ideas,
including how other school districts have handled similar problems and
adding a full-time nurse and a non-academic counselor at the high school.

Lewis said a parent support group has also been formed to help parents
who have children involved with drugs or at-risk for behavior problems.

That group will hold its first meeting Tuesday in Room 138 at the
Stillwater Public Library.

Tuesday's PTA meeting was called in response to concerns about
OxyContin abuse among SHS students that was first reported last month
by the NewsPress.

OxyContin is a tradename for the narcotic oxycodone hydrochloride, an
opiate. Oxycodone is similar to codeine, methadone and morphine in
producing opiate-like effects. Oxycodone is a schedule II drug under
the Controlled Substances Act because of its high propensity to cause
dependence and abuse.

OxyContin is a sustained, controlled-release formulation of oxycodone
available only by prescription. It is in the same drug family as
Percocet and Percodan, Vicodin and hydrocodone.

It is commonly known as Oxy, OC's, Killers, Poor Man's Heroin and
Hillbilly Heroin.

The drug is prescribed to treat moderate to severe pain of prolonged
duration - particularly for terminal cancer patients in the final
stages of the disease.

According to the District Nine Drug Task Force, five milligrams of
oxycodone is the same as 30 milligrams of codeine.

The effects of the drug include a drunken-like state accompanied
sometimes by nausea, drowsiness, impaired coordination, weakness,
confusion and tiredness.

Lewis said SHS Principal Mike Turk called her about setting up a PTA
meeting to discuss the issue.

"We discussed that (NewsPress story) and we realized that Stillwater
High School has a problem and it's not a problem that is going to go
away overnight," Lewis said.

Lewis said the response from parents and the public has been
overwhelming.

"There has been an absolute outpouring of support from the community,"
Lewis said.

Lewis said she recently spoke with a representative from a drug
rehabilitation clinic several SHS students have been attending who
stated she was alarmed by the number of SHS students seeking rehab.

Lewis added the clinic spokesperson stated the SHS students in rehab
have voiced concerns about returning to school because of possible
repercussions or being ridiculed by other students.

Turk addressed steps the school has taken, including banning the use
of cell phones. Turk also wrote a letter to parents outlining the drug
problem.

"We felt like we did have a problem," Turk said. "We have some new
drugs out there that we weren't that familiar with and we have had a
lot of kids involved with them."

Turk said parents are going to have to play an active role in helping
curb the drug situation and he added the student body must also take a
strong role.

"The kids have to be part of the solution," Turk said. "The kids will
respond."

Secondary school nurse Mary Ellen Holley spoke about the physical
effects of drug use.

Stillwater Police Officer David Duncan, a drug recognition expert,
said Stillwater has the same type of drug problems seen in large
metropolitan areas, but on a much smaller scale.

He urged parents to take an active role in their children's lives and
not be afraid to seek help when needed.

Charles Hendrix, an associate professor in human development and
family science at Oklahoma State University, provided a Top 10 list of
ways for parents to deal with their teen-agers.

He said one of the most important things a parent can do is "trust,
but verify," meaning make the extra effort to know what your child is
doing.