POLAND Teens get anti-drug schooling

High school students learned about the consequences of drug abuse.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
POLAND -- Poland Seminary High School students learned firsthand from the experts about the penalties and hardships associated with illegal drug use.
Delegates from the Mahoning County Misdemeanor Drug Court Program spoke Tuesday. Judge F. Theresa Dellick of Mahoning County Court, who oversees the drug court, said the goal was to give the students a rounded perspective on drug abuse from a legal, abuse and treatment standpoint.
Judge Dellick, Ray Tarasuck, an assistant county prosecutor, George Sofranko, drug court coordinator, and Doug Wentz of the Neil Kennedy Recovery Clinic, which offers alcohol and drug rehabilitation services, spoke to the students in the school and at a second conference Tuesday night at Holy Family Church on Center Road.
Party drugs: Wentz discussed the damaging effects of "party drugs" such as Ecstasy on the body and said heroin has made a major comeback, especially with teen-agers.
Wentz also pointed out that more teens and young adults are using alcohol, marijuana and tobacco. Because of the abuse of those substances, the years of potential life lost is increasing for people 15 to 24. There will be 400,000 deaths associated with tobacco this year in the United States, he said.
Before closing, Wentz asked the students if they have heard of OxyContin, a painkiller. Virtually every student in the auditorium raised a hand.
Students arrested: The students' reactions were probably the result of an ongoing investigation at the high school, where several students were arrested in the sale of OxyContin and other illegal drugs. Eight students have been arrested so far.
Principal Brian Wolf said those students charged with possession of drugs have been suspended for 10 days. The two students charged with trafficking have been suspended with a recommendation that they be expelled.
Tarasuck told the students that much more can happen to them than suspension should they choose to abuse drugs. The decisions made today can dictate their options later in life.
Driving that point home, Tarasuck said misdemeanor drug offenders lose their right to drive for six months and may not be able to receive federal funding for college or be accepted to the school of their choice.
He also said misdemeanor drug convictions can preclude someone from pursuing a job in law enforcement or the medical or legal fields, and eliminates the right to own a firearm.
Courtroom decorum: Judge Dellick, who will becomes the county's juvenile court judge April 16, gave the students a quick lesson in courtroom decorum.
"How I decide depends on three things -- the facts, the law and how you behave in court. That is important because that [behavior] is what you have control over," she said.
Judge Dellick told the students that dress, demeanor and proper speech and respect for the court are of utmost importance. She also reiterated the legal ramifications of drug abuse, saying those found guilty of misdemeanor drug abuse could face fines of $100 to $1,000, community service, and between 30 to 180 days in jail.