Chico’s Deadliest Problem

Prescription & Illicit Drugs Chico’s Deadliest Problem

1. Chico State University senior Kyle Bartley, 22 a business major died August 19, 2006. An autopsy concluded a lethal cocktail of drugs cocaine, oxycodone and diphenhydramine was the cause of death.

2. Chico State University senior Stephen William Davis 23 a liberal-studies major entering his credential program to become a teacher, died May 13, 2007. An autopsy concluded a lethal cocktail of drugs oxycodone, cocaine, morphine, codeine and alcohol were the cause of death.

3. Chico State University senior Angela Marsh a biology major died September 9, 2007. An autopsy concluded a lethal cocktail of drugs oxycodone, methadone, fentanyl and meth were the cause of death

4. Chico State University senior Robert E Sheehan Jr. a manufacturing technology major died September 27, 2008. According to police, Sheehan was found dead in his bedroom at an Ivy Street address late Saturday night by roommates, the victim of an apparent accidental overdose -possibly from pain killers.

5. Chico State University sophomore Gina Marie Maggio 21 a communication sciences and disorders major with a minor in child development died October 21, 2009. An investigation concluded a lethal cocktail of prescription and illicit drugs were the cause of death.

6. Former Chico State University student Reid H. Englebrecht 19 died January 31, 2010. Police said there was obvious evidence of illegal drug use in the apartment.

7. Chico State University freshman Ernesto Robles 19 studied physical therapy and participated in the EOP program died July 14, 2011. Prior to the conclusion of a pending autopsy Coroner's officials suspect Robles died from an overdose of drugs and/or alcohol.

8. Chico State University student Carly Callaghan 22 a graphic design major died September 16, 2012. An autopsy concluded a cocktail of morphine and alcohol were the cause of death

In 72 months EIGHT Chico State University Student deaths from mixtures of prescriptions, illicit drugs and some included alcohol!

 

 

www.drugpreventioned.com

 

 

 

 

Prescription and Illicit Drugs Chico’s Deadliest Problem

 

When a community makes a concerted effort to combat a problem it must first correctly identify that specific problem.

Alcohol is a drug and one of the most widely used, but it is not Chico’s only problem. It has become obvious that Chico University and the community are willing to specifically target alcohol, but seem hesitant to address and prioritize other drugs which since August 19, 2006 have actually caused more student deaths (8) than alcohol alone.

Students’ deaths in Chico have been caused by a genre of drugs. Many types of drugs in many combinations are killing Chico’s students. This is a fact. Some reading this may say this is a trivial point, but quite the opposite is true.

According to Wasting the Best and Brightest: Substance Abuse at America's Colleges and Universities (Columbia University CASA report)   from 1993 to 2005, the proportion of students who abuse prescription painkillers like Percocet, Vicodin and OxyContin shot up 343 percent to 240,000 students; stimulants like Ritalin and Adderall, 93 percent to 225,000; tranquilizers like Xanax and Valium, 450 percent to 171,000; and sedatives like Nembutal and Seconal, 225 percent to 101,000.

To quantify student overdose deaths in Chico as only an alcohol problem makes the costly and extremely important work of a community coalition more difficult and less effective.

Believing alcohol is an approachable problem while treating other drug overdoses as a low priority is problematic.  By addressing all drugs as the problem effective prevention becomes inclusive not selective which produces better outcomes. This should be the priority.

 

James C. Bettencourt

327 N. Culver Ave

Willows, Ca. 95988

530-330-3139

 

                        www.drugpreventioned.com