Cornyn Joins Mayor Leppert, Dallas ISD in Launching District-Wide Anti-"Cheese Heroin" Poster Contest For Dallas Youth
Cornyn Joins Mayor Leppert, Dallas ISD in Launching District-Wide Anti-"Cheese Heroin" Poster Contest For Dallas Youth
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, today joined Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert, and the Dallas Independent School District at City Hall to announce a poster contest open to all middle and high school students in the Dallas ISD who will compete to develop the most creative and effective anti-"cheese heroin" message. Senator Cornyn, Mayor Leppert, and representatives from the Dallas ISD were joined by local law enforcement, students, and Gary Griffith, president of the Today Foundation, a Dallas-based non-profit dedicated to stemming the spread of "cheese heroin." The Today Foundation is serving as the official sponsor of the poster contest.
"Unfortunately, Dallas-area youth know firsthand the pressures and threats cheese heroin' poses. Too many of their friends, classmates and peers have fallen victim to this dangerous drug. I'm hopeful this poster contest will serve as a unique opportunity to prevent the spread of cheese heroin' by allowing the young people themselves to communicate the dangers to their peers in a creative, effective way," Sen. Cornyn said. "Today's event represented what I believe is a united front of students, school officials, community leaders, and federal, state and local officials who are committed to stopping the spread of this deadly drug."
A cheap, highly addictive drug, "cheese heroin" is produced by mixing small amounts of heroin with crushed Tylenol PM tablets. This dangerous drug, which sellers target to young children, has already been responsible for the death of more than 20 Dallas-area youth in the past two years.
The goal of the poster contest is to encourage Dallas youth to learn more about the harmful effects of "cheese heroin" and engage them in a campaign to stop its use among other children and teens.
Posters will be judged according to creativity, effectiveness of message, and visual appeal. A panel of judges will be assembled to include local officials, school faculty, law enforcement, and student peers. Winning entries will be placed in locations of prominence throughout the city, including City Hall, as well as Senator Cornyn's office in the U.S. Capitol Complex. In addition, winning participants will receive monetary prizes.
Also in attendance at today's event were representatives from the Greater Dallas Hispanic Chamber, TXU, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Phoenix House, and the Dallas Council for Drug and Alcohol Abuse.
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