XPost: ba.politics, dc.media, soc.penpals   
   XPost: alt.burningman   
   From: brooks@att.dc.guff   
      
   HUNTERSVILLE -- An emerging epidemic; that's how law enforcement   
   officials describe Charlotte's growing heroin problem that's   
   making national headlines.   
      
   They say it targets people from all walks of life and the   
   victims are getting younger and younger.   
      
   Two years after losing her son Alex to a heroin overdose, Deanna   
   Uhler continues to share their painful story, hoping it will   
   save lives.   
      
   "You can't love it away. You can't pray it away. You can't scare   
   it away," she said, her voice shaky with a combination of nerves   
   and sadness.   
      
   Alex was a promising student, taking pre-med classes at Queens   
   University when his addiction, which started in his teens,   
   claimed his life.   
      
   He was only 21 years old.   
      
   "It's important to put a face with it and let people know it   
   touches all walks of life," said Uhler.   
      
   She was a featured speaker at The Heroin Summit at CPCC's   
   Huntersville campus.   
      
   Law enforcement agencies from across the region gathered there   
   Thursday to better understand and combat what's being called an   
   "emerging epidemic."   
      
   "It affects everyone. It's in your school, it's in your   
   community," said William Baxley with the Drug Enforcement   
   Administration.   
      
   Charlotte is quickly becoming the poster-city for this problem.   
      
   This month the Queen City was featured on a piece by the "CBS   
   Evening News," illustrating how mid-sized cities are attracting   
   the growing heroin trade from Mexico.   
      
   "It crosses all social strata. We have doctors that we know   
   abusing heroin. We have students we know abusing heroin and   
   everything in between," said Baxley.   
      
   The piece featured undercover deals going down in well known   
   parking lots. Uhler says it's disturbing to think that was   
   exactly how her son got drugs as well.   
      
   "I know it was easy for Alex to get it," she said.   
      
   Summit organizers say they can't simply "arrest away" this   
   growing problem. It requires a layered approach, including law   
   enforcement, drug prevention and treatment and the science of   
   the addiction.   
      
   "Heroin is not a recreational drug. It is something that will   
   kill you and ruin your life. And not just yours but the people   
   around you," said Baxley.   
      
   "If I can help just one person, one person not be in my shoes,   
   then that's how I'll honor Alex's memory," said Uhler.   
      
   http://triadnc.twcnews.com/content/news/charlotte/713910/heroin-   
   becoming-charlotte-s--emerging-epidemic-/   
      
         
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)