Nassau DA unveils anti-heroin public service ad

Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice joined County Executive Edward Mangano Thursday for a premiere showing of her public service announcement aimed at helping youth beat the use of heroin and other illegal drugs.

Rice's announcement follows a similar ad made by Mangano two months ago. Neither anti-drug commercial has been broadcast yet, but both are expected to be when stations donate time.

The new, 30-second announcement begins with an actress portraying a young girl describing how easy it was for her to hide her heroin habit from her parents. It ends with her being slid under a sheet on a gurney and her body being wheeled into a refrigerated compartment at a morgue.

Then, Rice asks: "Would you know if your child was using heroin?"

To Rice, the ad "sends a message about the horrific results of heroin use that hits people right between the eyes."

Mangano's 25-second ad features the parents of heroin overdose victim Natalie Ciappa at his side.

Doreen and Victor Ciappa of Massapequa spoke later about their daughter, an 18-year-old Plainedge High School senior who overdosed on heroin at a friend's party in 2008.

The ads, developed as part of the county's Heroin Prevention Task Force, can be seen on the district attorney's and county executive's websites, and the task force's site, HeroinPrevention.com.

The 19-member task force, which meets monthly and is aimed at youth using illegal drugs, was formed by private and public officials after Ciappa's death.

Ciappa was once featured as a third-grader in a commercial promoting Cablevision USA's partnership with schools.

At the time of her death, she had been accepted at SUNY Old Westbury.

Both Rice and Mangano said of heroin use, which is on the rise, "If you think it can't happen to your child, think again."