About VOW-Foundation

The Victor Orlando Woolson Foundation, Inc.

is a public Non-Profit 501(c)3 Organization created to raise awareness of the dangers of synthetic drugs/bath salts, to advocate for stronger legislation against synthetics for the health and safety of young people, and to educate individuals and/or organizations in advocating for or providing services to the mentally ill, homeless and/or low income youth in Oswego County.

The VOW Foundation was named in honor of Victor Orlando Woolson who died, at the young age of 19, in August, 2012, from a fatal reaction to synthetic marijuana also known as K2/Spice, packaged as incense. He purchased the product legally in a store in Oswego, NY, AFTER bans were in place by the Health Department, the Federal Government and the State of New York.

Victor graduated Mexico High School with an Advanced Regents Diploma. He had 4 years in the Marine Core Jr. R.O.T.C. and was contemplating a career in law enforcement. He was enrolled in his second year of College at Cayuga Community College in Fulton, NY, for Criminal Justice and he had a part-time job.

Victor was your average happy-go-lucky teenager who had many friends. He was not only a great friend, but he was also a youngest child, a baby brother, a cousin, a nephew, an uncle and a grandson. His life ended too quickly.

Each package of synthetic drugs are different; trying them just once is like playing Russian-Roulette with your life. Synthetic marijuana is poison sprayed on leaves – highly toxic!!!

Victor’s initials are V.O.W. We VOW to help in this war against synthetics. Synthetics are a “Major Crisis” as the DEA Agent in a Press Conference (June 2013) announced. Parents, relatives and friends need to be aware of the dangers of these poisons. PLEASE educate yourself and pass on the information to others!

Check out the plentiful amount of information on this site for more details about synthetics, useful resources and video links, news articles, upcoming events, blog postings, as well as words from Victor’s loved ones.

Thank you for visiting our site!

Who is Victor Woolson?

Victor Orlando Woolson was your average sweet, smart, funny, kind teenager. As described by his friends, Victor was always the one to break the silence, the one to make everyone feel comfortable, and he always made people laugh: a great friend that could never be replaced.

Victor had a bright future ahead of him. He graduated from Mexico High School with an Advanced Regents Diploma, had 4 years in the Marine Core Jr. R.O.T.C. and was contemplating a career in law enforcement – enrolled in his second year of College at Cayuga Community College in Fulton, NY, toward a Criminal Justice Degree.

He was working a night-shift part-time job. He was 19 years old.

One day at college, he was introduced to synthetic marijuana and tried it with a stranger who was looking for a place to “smoke.” Victor reluctantly offered his car. Unfortunately, as a result, he smoked these poisons.

These poisonous chemicals are marketed to young people with cute little packages, and at the time, were being sold legally on store shelves. He just couldn’t understand the concept that if it was sold in a store, that it could be harmful.

Bans against synthetics in his home county were implemented by the Health Department, the Federal Government and the State of New York. At that point, Victor stopped using the drugs and was resolved to the fact that he could no longer buy them.

However, on August 9, 2012, a friend mentioned that he was still able to purchase synthetics from a smoke shop in town. He did purchase this chemical hazard, along with a friend. He and his friend then decided to go for a swim in Lake Ontario.

Victor had a fatal reaction to the drug called Avalanche, labeled as incense, also known as K2 or Spice. His body was unable to recover from the trauma of this unfortunate accident. Though this tragedy took place on August 9th the official date of his passing was August 10th, 2012. His Death Certificate is labeled Drowning, however there was no water in his lungs and the only thing in his system was XLR-11 causing total organ failure.