Heroin: an easy find for teens

PORTAGE, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - There is an alert for parents everywhere. A dangerous drug is lurking the halls of your child's school.

Health officials say heroin is quickly becoming the drug of choice not just for those who typically use it, but for high school students in search of a new high. Most parents have no idea how easy this is for their kids to get a hold of.

The issue is a big concern in Portage and the focus of a meeting at the district's Administration Building Thursday. The death of Amy Bousfield, a recent Portage Central graduate is shining light on a heroin problem among teens. The 18 year old recently died from overdosing on the drug.

A parent tells us that faculty has confirmed she is just one of seven Portage School District students to die of a drug overdose in recent years. An addiction specialist tells us they've seen a drastic shift in the age of heroin users from older adults to teenagers.

Former Portage students agree. "If I decided to pick up my cell phone and give a few people a call and say where's the stuff, I could get it by tonight if I wanted heroin," said Emalee Sabo, a 2008 Portage Central graduate.

Nicole McEwen is another Portage Central mother who lost a child to heroin. Her son, Dave Gordier passed away after an overdose when he was 19-years-old.

McEwen understands the pain parents go through when losing a child to a drug overdose, and she has kindly offered her contact information to anyone looking for information about the drug, warning signs of use, or other related information.

You can reach Nicole McEwen at (269) 377-5681. She also has a website that was set up after her son's death. You can visit that by going to www.lifestorynet.com.

Portage School officials say there is no evidence any actively enrolled students have overdosed. Still, the concern is brought them, parents and the mayor together to discuss the issue at 2:00 Thursday afternoon.