Governor John Engler has declared the month of March as "GHB Awareness Month" in Michigan. The Michigan Department of Community Health, the Michigan Women's Commission and the Samantha Reid Foundation are working together to accomplish this important goal.

"By raising awareness of GHB, we can help people better understand the dangers associated with this deadly drug," said Engler. "When we educate children and parents about the risks of this drug, we can save lives."

"I know firsthand the dangers of GHB, I lost my 15-year-old daughter, Samantha Reid, to GHB," said Judi Clark, Chair of the Samantha Reid Foundation. "An innocent night out with her friends from high school turned fatal. Do everything you can to protect yourself against GHB." Samantha Reid was the 15-year-old Rockwood girl who died after the odorless and colorless GHB was slipped into her Mountain Dew at a party last year.

"This March we are celebrating the first full year since the passage of federal legislation sponsored by then-Senator Spencer Abraham and championed by Judi Clark, that criminalized this drug nationally," said Michigan Department of Community Health James K. Haveman, Jr.

"With spring break approaching, this is a crucial time to get this message out," said Chair of the Michigan Women's Commission, Anne Norlander. "Young girls and women need to know ingesting GHB can result in unconsciousness, vomiting, seizures, coma and even death."

"GHB is one of the most dangerous club drugs," said Jim McBryde, Special Assistant for Drug Policy at the Michigan Department of Community Health. "It is highly addictive, its strength varies widely from batch to batch and a single overdose can be fatal."

The Department has launched a radio commercial recorded by Judi Clark talking about the dangers of GHB that will air throughout the state and will continue to distribute brochure information about GHB to colleges, high schools and middle schools throughout the state. During the month of March, there will be GHB awareness activities held in Grand Rapids, Detroit and Traverse City to spread this important message.