Stories From Main Street: Yonkers Police Launches Substance Abuse Prevention Initiative
YONKERS, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- The Yonkers Police Department has launched a new initiative to show kids the dangers of substance abuse.
Yonkers police have been visiting high schools as part of the "Stay on Track" program and hope to scare teens straight with a presentation that includes graphic images of addicts, their bodies scarred and ravaged by poison, WCBS 880's Sean Adams reported.
"The presentation is pretty graphic, it will kind of get their attention and show them how dangerous it is to be using drugs and what it can do to you, your family and your community," said Police Commissioner Charles Gardner.
During the presentation, officers also show students a disturbing video of a young person having a bad reaction to synthetic marijuana.
"This is what I saw this summer with a lot of our young people, wild in out, kicking and screaming on the floor, sitting in their own vomit," Yonkers Narcotics Detective Daniel Medina told students at Palisades Preparatory School.
Principal Dr. Michelle Yazurlo said she tries to address the underlying forces that might drive teens to drugs.
"I think the new challenges are really handling their emotions and being mindful of who they are as individuals, and knowing that it's OK to be unique," Yazurlo said. "I think with the increase of social media that is a big problem and leads to a lot of anxiety with children."
Yazurlo also looks for early warning signs of trouble."You have to be very aware of attendance issues, changes in behavior, changes in appearance with students and that's how you can catch a problem, when it's small," Yazurlo said.
The presentations highlight the dangers of heroin and other substances, including synthetic marijuana or K2.
The Yonkers police will be visiting schools throughout the month of October, which has been designated National Substance Abuse Prevention Month.
