Feb 19, 2007 5:23 pm US/Central
Parents Renew Fight Against 'Cheese' Heroin
NORTH TEXAS (CBS 11 News) ―
Some North Texas parents are renewing their fight against drugs. The group says 'cheese heroin' is spreading at alarming numbers in some middle and high schools and they want other parents to know their children could be affected - regardless of where they live or attend school.
Some parents want school officials and police to take the problem seriously and stop the dangerous drug from spreading.
Parent Mwanna Williams has a lot of questions. "What's happening? What's going to happen, and what are we doing about it? Williams said. Her children, who are eight and 11-years-old, attend school in the Dallas Independent School District.
Williams says there's a problem brewing in the DISD. "I've become aware of this; I would call an epidemic drug, named 'cheese' from several parents, as well as friends in the neighborhood." Williams and other parents believe the tan-powdery drug is taking over in some schools.
The drug known as 'cheese' is a combination of the drugs in Tylenol PM and heroin.
Carlos Quintanilla says the drug is easy to conceal. "Then they cut it up and take their pens, their BIC pens they take out the thing, and they begin to snort it."
Quintanilla's son attends Marsh Middle School and he's leading a crusade to get more parents and law enforcement officials involved.
No one from the DISD was available for an interview with CBS 11 News but they released these stats. Between August, 2005 and March, 2006, there were 54 felony offenses involving 'cheese' and nearly two dozen cases where district police found the drugs on school grounds. Officials say the drug has been found in 11 different schools.
The concerned parents who spoke with CBS 11 News say they hope to have a group 100-strong by Wednesday. "It's a crime against our children. It's a crime that can't be accepted. It's a crime that can't be swept under the table, we need to attack this in the most aggressive manner and that's what we're going to do," Quintanilla said.
DISD officials say they are working on the problem and that police officers continue to have a strong presence in the schools.
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