CORNYN MEASURE TO CRACK DOWN ON “CHEESE� HEROIN APPROVED BY SENATE PANEL
WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, successfully added and helped advance an amendment Thursday targeting “cheese” heroin, a lethal drug causing addiction and death among a growing number of Texas youths.
Sen. Cornyn’s measure adds “cheese” heroin to the list of illegal drugs in the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign. His amendment was included in the Gang Abatement and Prevention Act of 2007, S. 456, which the Judiciary Committee on Thursday unanimously advanced to the full Senate for consideration.
“We must work now to crack down on this lethal drug before it spreads further and destroys the lives of more young people,” Sen. Cornyn said. “Raising awareness of the dangers of ‘cheese’ heroin is critical in the effort to stamp it out.”
“News reports indicate that young people begin using ‘cheese’ because they wrongly believe the drug is not ‘really’ heroin and is, therefore, not as dangerous,” Sen. Cornyn said. “A public awareness campaign is key to correcting this misconception and reversing the tide of this dangerous new drug.”
Sen. Cornyn said. “Cheese” heroin has plagued the Dallas area in recent years. Reports indicate the drug has contributed to the deaths of at least 21 Dallas-area children and young people since 2005. And drug treatment centers in Dallas say teen “cheese” addicts are now as common as those seeking help for marijuana addiction
The number of arrests involving possession of “cheese” in the Dallas area during the 2006-07 school year increased more than 60 percent from the previous year. “This drug epidemic poses an imminent threat of spreading to other communities, particularly given the ease of national communication via the Internet and phones,” Sen. Cornyn said. “We must take the necessary steps now to end it.”
In addition, it is reported that the drug is being used for gang recruitment. Gangs are said to provide it to young people in efforts to get them addicted and exploit dependence for membership purposes.
The National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign is a public awareness program carried out by the Office of National Drug Control Policy in the White House. The initiative prevents drug abuse among young people in the United States through public awareness efforts. Current law directs the Campaign to target marijuana and methamphetamines.
The anti-drug campaign focuses on young people ages 9-18, their parents, and other adults who influence the choices young people make. It uses a mix of modern communications techniques to educate and empower young people to reject illicit drugs. The program also teams up with civic and non-profit organizations, faith-based groups, and private corporations to enlist people in prevention efforts at school, work and play.
Sen. Cornyn serves on the Armed Services, Judiciary and Budget Committees. In addition, he is Vice Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference and the Senate Select Committee on Ethics. He serves as the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee’s Immigration, Border Security and Refugees subcommittee and the Armed Services Committee’s Airland subcommittee. He served previously as Texas Attorney General, Texas Supreme Court Justice, and Bexar County District Judge.
