Grieving Oswego family takes stand against synthetic drugs

Readmore: Local, Crime, Victor Woolson, Synthetic Drugs, Bath Salts, Laws, Teresa Woolson, Sarah Gauger, Oswego County, Drowning, Tougher Laws

It's known among people in theCity ofOswegoasflat rock.It's a favorite spot for swimmers on the shore ofLakeOntario. It's where 19 year oldVictorWoolson drowned onAugust 9th. Now his grieving family is on a campaign for tougher laws and greater awareness about the dangers of synthetic drugs, commonly called "bath salts."

VictorWoolson's mother, Teresa and his sister, SarahGauger tookCNY Central's Jim Kenyon to flat rock despite the painful memories associated with it.It was here they toldKenyonof a young man from a good family who they say became a victim of synthetic drugs."He was a great kid, never in trouble. (He spent)4 years ofU.S. MarineCorpsROTC program in high school... advanced regents diploma."

Gauger added,"I could never see him doing drugs.He was very intelligent with his advanced regents diploma...a lot of potential that was just ripped away by these synthetic drugs."

The family says last year, Victor got mixed up with some friends who introduced him to synthetic drugs which at the time was legal. Soon they sayVictor was trapped in a world they could not understand."We tried to be there more for him.We tried having him go to counseling and there's not much out there that was helping him." Gauger said.

On that fateful day onAugust 9th, the family says Woolson and some friends came to flat rock for a swim, buthe stopped at a shop calledExtremeUnderground first. They say according to the testimony of his friends to police, Woolson bought a product called Avalanche. Though it is labeled as an incense and not for human consumption, they say it's well known as a synthetic form of marijuana."One of his friends said...you can get it right here inOswego." Teresa claims, "So they did and two and a half hours later he was pulled from the lake."

Based on whatVictor's friends told police, the family believes he may have had a drug induced seizure while he was swimming.

A month after the tragedy, Woolson's family is turning their mourning into a mission bypushing for tougher laws against synthetic drugs... and raising awareness in the community."I think these are drug dealers with a storefront." Teresa Woolson says.

The owner of Extreme Underground has not returned our call for comment. Last month authorities raidedExtremeUnderground and other head shops in the area but so far no one has been charged.Oswego policesaythey're still waiting for test results from theStatePoliceCrimeLaboratory.

In the month sinceVictor Woolson'sdeath, the mother and daughter team have appeared before local school boards to push for awareness campaigns about synthetic drugs in schools. They're also contacting area legislators on the local,state and federal levels asking for tougher laws.Teresa says,"They need to be harsher crimes... harsher penalties."

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Grieving Oswego family takes stand against synthetic drugs