The City of Santa Clarita is launching an awareness campaign titled “Heroin Kills, The High is a Lie” in an effort to educate parents, teens, and the community at large about heroin use in Santa Clarita. The campaign kicks off with the City’s first Heroin Symposium on Tuesday, August 30, 2011, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Santa Clarita Activities Center.

The City of Santa Clarita developed the heroin awareness campaign in response to heroin related arrests and overdoses, including fatalities, among local youth. As part of a larger campaign, the Heroin Symposium serves as the kick-off event and is intended for parents with teens in junior high school, high school, and college-age students. The goal of the symposium is to educate attendees about the drug, the risks and signs of heroin use, and tools for prevention and recovery. Mayor Pro-Tem Laurie Ender and Councilman Frank Ferry will be among the speakers at the event, which will also include Santa Clarita Sheriff’s Capt. Paul Becker and local recovery expert Cary Quashen.

“Educating teens and parents about the seriousness of heroin use is a vital issue that deserves attention,” said Mayor Marsha McLean. “Our goal with the campaign and symposium is to drive home the message that heroin exists in the community and is not a casual drug. We must help Santa Clarita residents understand that just one use can lead to death, and one death is one too many.”

Beginning with a Resource Fair at 6:30 p.m., experts will be available to answer questions and provide resources on Heroin use, treatment, prevention, and more.

At 7:00 p.m. the symposium commences with a panel consisting of a recovering addict, a drug recovery counselor, parents of addicted Santa Clarita youth, and representatives from health care and law enforcement. All participants will provide information and personal experiences to help parents begin dialogue with their kids. Experts and panelists will be available during the Questions and Answers session from 7:45 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. to address audience-specific questions and concerns.

The City of Santa Clarita launched HeroinKills.org, a website dedicated to providing information, resources and details about upcoming events, as part of the Heroin awareness campaign.

The Activities Center is located at 20880 Centre Pointe Parkway. For additional information please visit our website at HeroinKills.org, or contact 661-250-3708.