TEEN, MOTHERS TESTIFY TO HEARTBREAK OF ADDICTION

HARRISON: Four months clean, Ailene Huston now claws through methadone
treatments to undo seven years of drug abuse.

Most recently, her addiction was heroin. The drug killed three of
Huston's schoolmates from Highlands High School's Class of 2001.

So the Brackenridge 19-year-old counts herself lucky to be alive and a
freshman at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. She studies graphic arts
in the morning and weans herself off heroin with afternoon methadone
treatments.

Her gripping recovery story, along with the tragic stories of two
Highlands' parents whose children died from heroin overdoses,
highlighted the second Highlands Community Drug Awareness program Monday.

Heroin's resurgence has been deadly. It's only $15 per bag and easier
to get than marijuana, police said. Local users are often younger than
20.

"We are at war with drugs, and we are losing," said Brackenridge
Police Capt. Carl Toscolani. "There ain't enough of us out there to
make a dent in it."

That's why the police and other speakers urged the more than 50
parents and residents at the program to become educated to the warning
signs.

A big message: Know exactly what activities and friends your children
are involved with.

Teen Hid Addiction

In a grainy voice, Huston, the recovering addict, told how she hid her
addiction from her mother with outward signs of responsibility.

She maintained a job and got good grades. She cleaned the house and
took care of her brother.

But in her senior year, she was taking OxyContin every day. OxyContin
is a dangerously addictive pain-killer that has created a new class of
users.

"You kind of become like this army, like you're not unique anymore,"
Huston said. "Every addict loses their morals, their friends."

Elaine Gohn and Roberta Lojak told painful stories about how their
children died of heroin-related overdoses.

"Don't think it will never happen to your child," said Gohn, whose
daughter Elizabeth died June 23.

Police want to help, but told a frustrating tale of how if you arrest
one heroin dealer, two more fill the void.

Parents Ask for Help

Parents asked for help in identifying warning signs. They told
frightful anecdotes about parents supplying their children with drugs.
And they asked some questions about drug lingo, such as "What is a
rave party?"

Raves are all-night parties held in warehouses, roller rinks, or empty
paintball facilities, said Allegheny County Police Det. Todd Naylor.

They are highly kept secrets: Only people with a flier can get in.
Promoters give, say, $3,000 cash to the warehouse owners for use of
their space overnight and make money by selling bottled water for $3.

Drugs are frequently passed around, dehydrating youngsters and
guaranteeing profits for the promoters.

Huston went to raves. Her mother, Betsy Bianco, didn't know what they
were until after it was too late, she said.

Bianco is still haunted by Huston's angry question to her: "Why didn't
you know? Why didn't you stop me?"

After the speakers, parents talked about dozens of drug topics. Some
demanded random drug testing for all schools.

To that, Linda Finley of Harrison said: That's the parents'
responsibility. She buys drug test kits over the Internet that test
urine samples - and she watches to make sure her children don't switch
the samples on her.

"Never put (the responsibility) all on the school," Finley said. "I
think everybody should be doing it."

Others, such as trauma counselor James McAninch Jr., prefer oral
swabs. The swabs show if a person is impaired.

District Justice Carolyn Bengel, who sponsored Monday's program, said
another program is in the works for possibly November.

Warning Signs

Parents can look for these signs of drug abuse in their
kids:

Straws, aluminum foil or matches and lighters appear.

An upswing in candy consumption (to relieve the "dry mouth" that comes
with drug use).

Baby pacifiers (to reduce the teeth-grinding reflex caused by some
drugs such as Ecstasy).

A need to "pull" words out of previously fast talkers.

Falling asleep suddenly.

Financially responsible kids suddenly borrowing lots of money or
bouncing checks.

Unhealthy low weight.

Frequent itching.

Children are rarely home or are staying at friends' homes
frequently.

Tools and other items are missing from the house (later sold for drug
money).

Children wear long-sleeved shirts in hot weather (to hide needle
marks).

Remember: Drugs can be concealed in everything from hair spray bottles
to cans of asparagus soup. Twist off containers, shake bottles and
search their possessions out of concern for their health. Take
anything unusual to local police.

Source - Police, former addicts, bereaved parents at Highlands
Community Drug Awareness program

Test 'Em for Drugs

Speakers at the Highlands Community Drug Awareness program suggested
that oral swab tests can help keep teens accountable and show that
parents won't tolerate drug use.

Some cost about $25 per use and check for the presence of heroin,
cocaine, marijuana and other drugs.

One such test, Avitar, gives a result within 15 minutes. Others such
as Intercept require samples to mailed express to a lab. For more
information, try:

www.avitarinc.com

www.4intercept.com or 1-877-223-6798.

Outreach Planned

The Valley News Dispatch and Allegheny-Kiski Health Foundation will
sponsor a public anti-drug meeting next month as part of the
newspaper's community outreach.

The Valley Drug Summit will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Sept. 25 at the
Clarion Hotel, Tarentum Bridge Road, New Kensington.

U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan and other speakers will take part.
They also will answer questions.

Parents, guardians, grandparents, teachers and anyone concerned are
invited.

Attending teachers will receive accreditation hours through the
Pennsylvania Department of Education Act 48.