SON'S OVERDOSE DEATH

Narcotics Officer's Decision to Go Public Can Benefit All

Most of us can only imagine the pain a parent feels at the death of a
child.

There is a tendency for parents to feel there is something they could
have done to prevent it.

That would appear to go double in the case of the Lee County Sheriff's
Office's lead narcotics officer, Maj. Jeff Taylor, whose 18-year-old
son, Matt, died of an overdose of OxyContin this time three years ago.

The elder Taylor had prepared anti-drug lectures for his son en route
to the emergency room that June night. But his son, who had been to a
party and took OxyContin for fun, was dead.

Taylor, though he had been immersed in the drug scene for five years
by then, had not even heard of the addictive painkiller.

Now, Perdue Pharm, and its three executives who have pleaded guilty to
concealing OxyContin's down side, are paying a $600 million fine.

Anyone could understand if Taylor chose to withdraw. The community is
grateful beyond words that he has chosen to do the opposite and go
public with his story.

It speaks to the insidious nature of drugs -- especially this drug. Any
one or all can take root and do harm -- even within the families of
experts.

That message, as told by Taylor, is heeded by people who otherwise
might not listen.

When Taylor speaks, people do listen. And for that, we are grateful to
him.