Teen heroin abuse skyrockets

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Heroin has surpassed cocaine and meth as the fastest growing drug problem among New Mexico teens and now a group of students is using music to fight back.

"It affects us all. There is a kid dying every day here in Albuquerque. There's 300 new addicts every month here in Albuquerque," said Steve Paternoster, who daughter Haley died of a heroin overdose in April of 2010. He is now an advocate for heroin abuse prevention.

It's estimated that $300,000 worth of the deadly drug is sold every day in Albuquerque to adults and kids.

After Haley died, at the age of 16, a group of her peers at Albuquerque's Media Arts Charter High School found a creative way to combat the problem and created a song in her memory.

It's titled "Haley We Miss You" and has sparked the idea for an entire album of original music aimed at educating students about dangers of drugs.

The students are raising money to produce and distribute the albums. Their goal is to hand out one to every eight grader in Albuquerque.

"When their peers are talking to them in just a direct authentic raw way about how real this danger is, they'll realize this is something they should take seriously," said the class's teacher Blake Minnerly.

The class is trying to raise $10,000 by March 20th to pay for the project, and say Haley would be touched by the work they've done so far.

If you would like to donate or listen to their music click here .

You can also follow their blog at thesoundoven.wordpress.com