Yearly Archives: 2011

REPORTER: Chris Woodard
Twitter: @cwoodardnews

It's dangerous and out of control. The heroin epidemic is exploding in southern Wisconsin and more and more innocent people are being put at risk.

Many people are finding themselves in harms way and those putting them there, those who find themselves sucked into the addictive downward spiral, are far from your stereotypical dirt bag druggie.

23-year-old recovering addict John Howard says, "It just keeps getting younger and younger."

"I always thought I had high morals," says 22-year-old recovering addict Alissa Curtis.

MADISON (WKOW) -- Madison police say there have been five heroin overdoses in the past five days.

Two happened Tuesday, one in the 1800 block of Hayes Road, and the second in the Woodman's parking lot on Milwaukee Street.

Police say that case involved a group of friends who took a road trip from Stoughton to Madison to buy heroin.

On Monday, police say heroin overdoses took place on Hamilton Street and likely on South First Street. Yet another occurred Friday on Horned Owl Court.

The City of Madison and Dane County have both allotted tens of thousands of dollars in their 2012 budgets to create an Opiates Task Force.

MADISON (WKOW) - By Greg Neumann

Based on the school's own statistics, drinking is a way of life at UW-Madison.

Roughly two-thirds of students binge drink and University Health Service officials say it causes all kinds of problems.

"(With) the number of individuals who have an encounter with a police officer, who have unplanned sex, who get into fights, who have academic consequences..." said Tom Sieger, Director of Prevention Services for University Health.

That's why UW is adding a sanction called "BASICS."

It requires students who violate the campus alcohol policy to take two 90 minute classes with a counselor to learn about the dangers of alcohol abuse.

"It demonstrates two things," said Sieger.  "That it decreases high risk drinking among students 18 to 24 years-old and it also reduces that harm that is associated with high risk drinking."

And it comes at a cost to the students.

First-time offenders must participate in group sessions that cost $78.

Serial or more serious offenders must get one-on-one counseling at a cost of $200.

"I totally agree with it, I think students should pay for what they have done," said UW Freshman Molly Sitter.

But as you might expect, not all students share that viewpoint.

"I think a lot of times with alcohol, people aren't thinking," said UW Senior Abby Zerrien.  "And I think its such an important part of a lot of people's lives that they probably won't change regardless of fees."

"I'd understand more like, community service, like keeping the campus up to par and stuff like that, but I think counseling's just a little, little ridiculous I guess," said UW Student Dan Gaenslan.

Ridiculous or not, failing to complete two 90 minute classes within eight weeks of a violation will earn students a hold on their academic registration and transcripts.

The university also approved a new measure to help students feel less scared about helping a friend who is in trouble because of alcohol.

For instance, a student can call 911 if a friend has alcohol poisoning without receiving an underage alcohol citation if they were also drinking.

source - https://www.wkow.com/story/15430448/uw-students-face-new-drinking-sanctions