Jane Abraham leads discussion on date rape, club drugs
Oct. 18, 2000
KALAMAZOO -- As part of a statewide effort to educate the public about the dangers of so-called "date rape" and "club" drugs, Jane Abraham, wife of U.S. Sen. Spencer Abraham, will participate in a panel discussion at 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 23, in Rooms 209-210 of the Bernhard Center.
Sen. and Mrs. Abraham are heading a statewide public awareness campaign to educate teachers, students and parents about the dangers of not only GHB, but also Ecstasy, Ketamine, Rohypnol, methamphetamine and other drugs currently used for recreation or in conjunction with sexual assault.
"The use of these drugs has become epidemic," Mrs. Abraham says. "It will take all of us focused on fighting these deadly drugs to win the war."
Spencer Abraham was author of the Samantha Reid Date-Rape Drug Prevention Act, which places GHB on the list of federally controlled substances as a Schedule I narcotic and applies tough penalties for its use. The act, signed into law earlier this year, was named in honor of a teenager from Lincoln Park, Mich., who died as a result of unknowingly being given GHB at a party.
Participating on the WMU panel along with Mrs. Abraham will be James McBride, special assistant for drug policy at the Michigan Department of Community Health; representatives from the Michigan Women's Commission and the Abraham Date Rape Drug Task Force; Victor Manzon, director of WMU's Office of Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention; Carol Dedow, a detective with WMU's Department of Public Safety; and Linda Lumley, Director of WMU's Women's Resources and Services.
The free program is being sponsored by several University organizations: Student Activities and Leadership Programs, the Division of Student Affairs, Alpha Omicron Pi, Alpha Phi, Alpha Xi Delta, Eta Sigma Gamma, Pi Beta Phi, Sigma Lambda Beta, and the executive boards of the National Panhellenic Conference and the Interfraternity Council.
Media Advisory: To discuss an interview with Jane Abraham or one of the other panel participants, call Linda Lumley, coordinator of WMU's Women's Resources and Services, at (616) 387-2995.
Media contact: Jeanne Baron, 616 387-8400, jeanne.baron@wmich.edu