Staff
Kevin Killeen and Addie Conway
Editor in Chief and Columnist
2010-2011: the word “heroin” was thrown around like a baseball at a little league game. Administrators made phone calls home and held multiple classroom discussions to inform parents and students about the pressing issue of drug use in Webster Groves. Ten known students from Webster were sent to rehab or drug therapy.
One might argue that drug use was a problem in the 2010-2011 school year; however, it is still debated between students, staff and law enforcement whether heavy drug use is still a concern.
Although it is not clear whether staff members think heroin is still a problem in the school, it is obvious they seem well informed of the dangers of drug use.
“The number one consequence of heroin is death,” said school nurse Jo-Ann Nester. “Nobody starts shooting up, they start by taking pills. When teens party with alcohol, they can start making bad judgment calls, which could include taking a pill that while it may not be called heroin, could still be heroin.”
“There is no such thing as a functioning heroin addict,” said Abigail Maixner, who began working with the school on heroin last year. “While they can “get by,” eventually grades will plummet or they won’t be able to maintain a job. Once people become addicted to heroin, they need more doses to keep the high the same and they can develop a $40-60 habit a day.”
“Heroin is a drug people are on all day, every day,” said Maixner. “The school isn’t forgetting about heroin, they’re making sure people are more informed and improving the general drug education.”
