Prosecutor Mike Gmoser's plan battles heroin epidemic with mentoring program
Gmoser: Solution to epidemic lies in our schools
Getting into the minds and souls of Butler County teens -- that is Butler County Prosecutor Mike Gmoser's plan when it comes to the heroin epidemic.
Gmoser said 85 percent of the cases his office prosecutes have some drug element to it, and he thinks he can lower that number by getting into local schools.
"One and done. One and done," Gmoser said to a group of students with the Youth Philanthropy Committee.
The committee was made up of students from Hamilton, Ross, Badin, and New Miami high schools.
Gmoser’s message was loud and clear.
"When you inject heroin into your body, it will either kill you or cripple you for the rest of your life," he said.
Gmoser unveiled his anti-heroin initiative to the group.
He said the solution to this epidemic lies in our schools.
"One thing I have learned is that this drug problem is in every school or comes out of every school in this county. Nobody is immune," Gmoser said.
Hamilton High School junior Aaron Yancy said he's seen how quickly teens are getting addicted.
"You can hear people talk about it, you can hear about people trying to find new ways to use it or new ways to sell it. It's definitely making its way through the youth," Yancy said. "They try it and you're immediately addicted, and you can see their physical appearance deteriorate."
In hopes of attacking the heroin addiction, Gmoser has a plan he hopes will catch on inside all Butler County schools.
"As long as we get it out there, we can nip it at its root and it doesn't have to happen," said Ross High student Lauren Geraci.
Students will be guardians to other students a grade below them. They'll have mentoring meetings four times a year. If you stick with the program, you'll get a certificate signed by Gmoser himself.
"And why is this important to you? Because you will be able to pad your record for college admission. You've been a part of an anti-drug program," Gmoser said.
Gmoser will also use the courts to track how successful the program is and where the biggest problems are. Every drug defendant who appears before a judge will now have to give more than just their name and age.
"Now they're going to have to give where they went to high school. I want to know where every drug abuser went to high school," said Gmoser.
Next week, Gmoser will be bringing his initiative to 1,200 students in Edgewood High School.
He says Talawanda High School has also expressed interest.
Back in May, Gmoser set up a hotline asking heroin addicts to meet with him confidentially to talk about the problem.
He said through those chats, he learned most people were never taught how dangerous heroin is.