Pubdate: Fri, 26 May 2000
Source: Billings Gazette, The (MT)
Copyright: 2000 The Billings Gazette
Contact:  P.O. Box 36300, Billings, MT 59101-6300
Fax: 406-657-1208
Website: http://www.billingsgazette.com/
Author: Pat Bellinghausen, LOCAL LEADERS DISCUSS CURBING DRUG ABUSE

Changing attitudes could be the start of reducing the use and abuse of 
drugs in our community. That approach was the subject of discussion 
Thursday for 40 people, including Mayor Chuck Tooley, County Commissioner 
Bill Kennedy, Sheriff Chuck Maxwell, Police Chief Ron Tussing, United Way 
Director Carol Burton, School District 2 officials, state legislators and 
representatives from health and human service organizations.

They gathered in the basement of Deaconess Billings Clinic for a meeting of 
the Billings/Yellowstone County Drug Prevention Planning Committee, a group 
that branched from the Billings Healthy Communities Coalition earlier this 
year.

A steering committee of several health service, business and education 
professionals has poured over the possibilities for combating drinking, 
tobacco use and abuse of other drugs. Montana State University Associate 
Professors Ernie Randolfi and Carl Hanson presented the committee's 
consensus: What parents, youngsters and the community think about alcohol 
and other drugs contributes to underage smoking, drinking and drug abuse.

A survey of Billings students in grades 8, 10 and 12 showed that many teens 
believed that their friends thought substance use is OK. They also saw 
their parents and community as condoning their drinking.

Several people at the meeting offered examples of those problems:

Lack of concern about drunken driving and minor in possession offenses.

Parents renting hotel rooms for teens so they wouldn't drive home after a 
night of drinking.

Parents providing alcohol for minors AD even kegs of beer AD to drink at home.

Conflicting messages about alcohol, such as community events that feature 
drinking on the street or drinking at fund-raising events to benefit youth 
programs.

A parent getting a court injunction to prevent the school from enforcing a 
no-drinking rule so that a student could keep playing sports.

The group brainstormed ideas for changing attitudes.

School District 2 Trustee Katharin Kelker suggested that punishment 
shouldn't be the only option for encouraging people to avoid substance use.

For example, she suggested, parents might be included in voluntary smoking 
cessation classes with their teenage children to encourage both generations 
to quit.

More volunteer opportunities for young people and more community volunteers 
to working with needy youngsters were suggested by other participants.

Randolfi repeatedly reminded the group that the goal isn't a quick fix. The 
committee is formulating a plan for long-term solutions that will span five 
years.

Among other first steps for the community plan are: Identifying what 
services are available for youths and what services are lacking and 
establishing a communication network for sharing information about 
community resources.

More information on the drug prevention effort is available on the Internet 
at http://www.optimalhealthconcepts.com/prevention.

Pat Bellinghausen can be reached at 657-1303 or at  ---
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