Rep. David M. Apatang, in a letter to Education Commissioner Rita A. Sablan, said the street names for these drugs are “cheese” and “strawberry quick.”
“This is to inform and share with you…information pertaining to the proliferation of two new illicit drugs that have…hit our nation last year,” said Apatang, R-Saipan. “Most troubling, these dangerous substances are being marketed to children nationwide.”
He said these drugs are “extremely dangerous.”
“Cheese” is a combination of black tar heroin and crushed Tylenol PM tablets and is sold for a dollar or two.
“Like any type of heroin, ‘cheese’ is highly addictive and deadly,” Apatang said.
“Strawberry quick” is methamphetamine mixed with Kool-Aid.
“The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency says the whole act of marketing drugs to kids is a dangerous and relatively new trend,” the lawmaker added.
Apatang asked Sablan to share the information about these drugs with all schools.
At Marianas High School, anti-drug policies and guidelines are being strictly implemented, according to principal Karen Borja.
In addition to disseminating information regarding illegal drugs, the school has also designated people to monitor the students’ activities on campus.
The island’s oldest high school has 1,205 students this year.
“The prohibition of drugs and drug-related activities as well as awareness are all indicated in our school handbook. We have people monitoring the students’ activities and our counselors continuously implement projects and programs that can divert the students’ attention from drugs,” Borja said.
Although the school cannot guarantee “100 percent” monitoring of each student, “we take every effort to control and safeguard our students by providing a safe environment.”
Other principals interviewed by the Variety disclosed that the Department of Public Safety’s DARE program helps a lot in the schools’ ongoing campaign against illegal drugs and violence.
