Ratting Out in Cuba

By Kathryn Ross
Daily Reporter

A rat can sometimes be a hero.

At Wednesday’s drug awareness forum in Cuba, Allegany County District Attorney’s Office Investigator Paul Wright responded, “A rat can sometimes be a hero,” after a Cuba woman complained about the attitude some parents have when it comes to reporting underage drinking parties.

“There was a pharm (assorted prescription medicines) party where a young girl swallowed a mixture of heart medicines and diabetic medicines and ended up in the hospital where she coded (died) once before they were able to save her. If the party hadn’t been reported and broken up she would have died. In that case whoever ratted turned out to be a hero,” he said.

Shawnee (Wright) Bigelow, of the Allegany Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, which sponsored the forum, told the crowd, there is a toll free number to call to report underage drinking/drug parties 1-800-851-1932 or 911.

“And we will respond,” said Capt. Tim Talley, of the Amity based New York State Police one of the panel members.

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