EAST VALLEY DISTRICTS RALLY TO FIGHT SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN SCHOOLS

Parents will file into Mesquite Junior High School tonight to learn
about drug use in Gilbert.

The growing town -- once named the 22nd safest in the country --
suffered a blow in December when Gilbert High School officials
acknowledged a growing heroin problem on campus. But Gilbert isn't
alone in its struggle against heroin.

An undercover Mesa detective who spoke to the Tribune on condition of
anonymity said black tar heroin is showing an increased presence in
Mesa, Scottsdale and Gilbert. And the increase comes not with older
addicts, but instead among teenagers.

Mexican black tar heroin has been prevalent in west Phoenix and is
now spreading across the East Valley, said Maricopa County Sheriff's
Sgt. Dave Munley, who oversees a drug task force.

"What's scary is there are kids that are getting involved with this,"
Munley said. "And I'm talking all the way down to 14, 15, 16 years
old that are getting addicted to this stuff."

Authorities say students are abusing methamphetamine, marijuana,
prescription pain killers and cocaine across the Valley.

But, heroin use has stood out.

Teens seem unaware of the addictive and deadly effects of heroin,
which has been under the radar as methamphetamine has garnered
national attention for the last decade.

A February Tribune article documented that Gilbert High School
students were smoking heroin in the bathroom. And Gilbert High
principal Charlie Santa Cruz warned parents about a rise in drug use,
including heroin, in a monthly newsletter sent to parents in December.

However, Gilbert police aren't ready to say heroin use is a trend
among teens or even among adults in the town.

Gilbert police spokesman Sgt. Andrew Duncan said the numbers remain
small, making it hard to state there is a problem or that the problem
is getting worse.

In 2005, Gilbert police made 15 heroin arrests. In 2006, that number
more than tripled to 53 arrests. As of March 9, there had been 23
arrests this year.

Departments across the East Valley couldn't provide a breakdown of
the ages of those arrested on suspicion of using or possessing heroin.

But teens with disposable incomes and time on their hands are smoking
heroin as a status symbol, to fit in and because it's exciting, said
Sgt. Dale Walters, narcotics supervisor for the Chandler Police Department.

"What they don't realize," Walters said, "is it doesn't take much
before it grabs hold of them and they can't get away from it."

Jason Barney, spokesman for the Gilbert Students and Parents
Association, said there is a tendency to point fingers at school
administrators. But he said drugs can be found anywhere, at any school.

Four Chandler High School students and one Basha High School student
were recently arrested on suspicion of selling drugs.

Despite the heroin problem, authorities across the Valley said
seizures of heroin still fall in the shadows of meth, marijuana and cocaine.

But they add that it's hard to determine how large the heroin problem
is because they have difficulty infiltrating heroin rings, which they
describe as tighter networks that are less social.

The heroin market is dominated by close-knit families in proximity to
the U.S.-Mexico border, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
spokeswoman Ramona Sanchez said.

A Tempe undercover officer, who also spoke to the Tribune on
condition of anonymity, said police are seeing numerous people who
come from Mexico to sell heroin.

The sellers and deliverers work through dispatch centers that send
runners to the buyer, the Tempe officer said. When the runner shows
up, he has heroin-filled balloons in his mouth and will spit out
however much the user orders, he said.

While data does show that methamphetamine and cocaine are still the
predominate drugs in the Valley, the numbers also indicate that
heroin has been making a slight increase, according to a 2006 Arizona
Criminal Justice Commission report.

Mesa heroin cases show an increase of the drug's potential to double each year.

In 2005, Mesa had 42 cases, according to statistics from the
department's crime lab. In 2006, there were 72 cases. And in 2007,
there had been 23 cases as of March 7.

Drug-Free School Zones

Along with Gilbert Unified, other East Valley school districts have
been proactive about informing students and parents about drugs.
Following is a sampling of East Valley efforts.

Chandler Unified: District spokesman Terry Locke said the district
starts with character education for elementary school students and
teachers, helping students understand how the choices they make can
impact their lives. He said the district also does random drug
testing for all high school students involved in extracurricular activities.

Mesa Unified: Students who get in trouble can receive a reduced
suspension if they undergo an evaluation and go through sessions that
teach them and their parents about drug trends and the side effects
of drug use, said David Shuff, assistant superintendent of student services.

Scottsdale Unified: The Scottsdale Prevention Institute works with
the district and has a prevention specialist at each campus, with the
exception of Sierra Vista Academy, said prevention specialist Russ Warrington.

Tempe Union High: The district has counselors who work with students
on drug prevention, and the district offers workshops for parents,
students and staff.

Learn More

What: Gilbert Unified School District annual drug prevention seminar

When: 6:30 p.m. today

Where: Mesquite Junior High School, 130 W. Mesquite St., Gilbert

Who: Parents, guardians and adults are invited. The district asks
that no students attend.