OFFICIALS WARN OF DESIGNER DRUG USE

The use of designer drugs in on the rise among Putnam County's youth,
according to school and law enforcement officials. In response, the Putnam
County School District is aiming this week to inform its students and the
public about the risks of club drugs. Club drugs are those, such as
Ecstasy, used by young adults nationwide at all-night parties. That is
according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse Web site,
www.drugabuse.org. On Monday, District Safe and Drug Free Coordinator Lula
Gail Parish said club or designer drug use is on the rise locally. Parish
said she based the trend on a conversation she had with Sgt. Greg Burnett
of the Putnam County Sheriff's Office. "He has seen increased use in club
drugs in the county," she said. This week, the school district is
sponsoring a program for students at three Putnam high schools during the
school day to raise awareness about club drugs. Then parents and the public
are invited to one of three evening seminars on club drugs.

The sessions are for adults only, Parish said. She said the programs are
"to inform parents about the dangers, risks, signs and symptoms of drug
use." The seminars are 6:30 p.m. today at Palatka High School in the
Commons area, 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Interlachen High School gymnasium and
6 p.m. Thursday in the Crescent City Jr.-Sr. High School cafeteria. The
parent seminars are connected to the student drug awareness program called
"Michael's Message." Debbie and Brad Alumbaugh, founders of the Michael's
Message Foundation, are putting on the program. The foundation is a
non-profit organization based in Vero Beach, according to the
organization's Web site, michaelsmessage.org. The Alumbaughs are parents of
Michael Paul Tiedmann who died suddenly from experimenting with drugs. The
foundation was formed "to educate the public and our youth about the
dangers of GHB (gamma hydroxybutyrate) and other designer/club drugs."
Parish said she met the Alumbaughs at an Orlando conference she and a group
of local students attended in December. For details, call PHS at 329-0577,
IHS at 684-2116 or CCHS at 698-1298.