TEEN, FORMER STUDENT, TELLS STORY OF ALCOHOL, DRUG ABUSE

PORTSMOUTH -- Teen-ager's peers often have the greatest influence on the
decisions they make.

On Monday, high school officials attempted to emulate this philosophy as
they brought in a 16-year-old to discuss the dangers of drugs and alcohol.

Jason Moore, a 16-year-old former student, was the keynote speaker at the
third in a series of forums aimed at curbing underage drinking and
substance abuse at the high school.

The forum was developed as a response to a risk-behavior survey taken last
spring and Monday's session was the first time the majority of the student
population attended.

The crowd was silent in the school auditorium as Moore told of how drugs
and alcohol had nearly ruined his life. Riddled with twist and turns, Moore
said that by the age of 11 he was well on his way to being addicted to alcohol.

Moore was enticed by the ways of his older friends and influenced by his
mother's drinking habits.

Along with his addiction to alcohol at 11, Moore also began to run into
legal problems and was arrested and sentenced to six months probation. At
12, Moore was once again arrested after blacking out from a night of heavy
drinking and holding a friend at knife point.

Despite having a promising future as a student and athlete, Moore said that
he was powerless to stop his addiction.

"I tried to get help and keep my head in sports to try and keep going, but
it never worked," Moore said.

Along with affecting his social life, his habits also conflicted with his
home life. Moore disclosed a story of being rushed to the hospital to have
his stomach pumped after his mother found him lying near death under the
Christmas tree three days prior to the holiday.

At 13, Moore also became sexually active as a result of alcohol. During a
party, an older woman took advantage of him after she slipped him a
date-rape drug.

Nine months later, Moore received a call that the night's activities had
produced a baby. Another night of drinking led to the pregnancy of Moore's
then girlfriend. At 14, Moore had one child and one on the way.

Moore's troubles continued. After running away from home, he spent time at
the Chase Home in Portsmouth before winding up at the state juvenile
facility in Manchester.

It took the first steps of his daughter and a loving visit by his mother to
finally turn the tide. Moore enrolled in an alcoholics anonymous group and
in an narcotics anonymous group and has stayed sober for the past nine months.

"I spent time talking to the drug coordinator and councilor and he told me
there was something wrong with me," Moore said. "I never thought that it
was a problem. I thought that I was just a normal teen having fun ... Every
night I get down on my knees and pray and thank the good lord that I'm
alive and I'm on my way to recovery."

High school officials decided to bring in Moore after students called for
someone close to their age range to talk about the issue. "The students
told us loud and clear please do not bring in people to preach to them,"
Gremlitz said. "What would be far more effective would be to get people to
tell their stories."

Following the presentation, students filed into their classrooms where
teachers conducted response sessions on the forum. Students were asked how
the forum affected them and what could be done to deal with the issues of
teen-age substance abuse.

Despite the high school officials good intentions, the forum received mixed
reviews for a group of sophomores. The students said that although the
message might reach some people who are already dealing with addiction, for
the majority of the students the presentation was a little over the top.

"For everyone who tries alcohol or drugs that is not going to happen to
them," said Ali Krause of Moore's presentation. "It was almost hard to
believe."

"The story was too hard-core," said Rich Brazeau "I've never met a kid that
had that much stuff happen to him."

Students said that too much attention is being paid to the perceived
problem at Portsmouth High School and that equal attention should be paid
to other area schools by the media and community members. Several students
said that throughout the United States the problem of underage drinking and
drug abuse is beyond anyone's control.

"I think the problem here is just as much as at other schools, it's a
problem across the nation," said Katelyn Kern.

There was positive feedback regarding the forum's other two speakers,
Portsmouth Police Chief Brad Russ and Exeter Hospital nurse Barbara Johns.
Russ and Johns told first-hand accounts of dealing with victims of
accidents caused by alcohol and drug use and dealing with parents and
families of teen-agers who were either injured or died as a result of
alcohol or drug use.

"We all know that underage drinking and drugs are illegal and can hurt us,
but some of you will have to learn the lesson the hard way," Johns said.

The timing of the forum was aimed at giving students something to think
about as graduation and the summer season draws closer, high school
principal Rick Gremlitz said.

Next year the high school will continue its attack on underage drinking and
drug use, with more forums and other events, Gremlitz said.

"This will continue into next fall in hopes of reinforcing our message,"
Gremlitz said.