Pubdate: Sun, 30 Sep 2001
Source: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (AR)
Copyright: 2001 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.ardemgaz.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/25
Author: Michelle Bradford

PFIZER OFFERS FUNDS FOR STATE PROGRAMS ON METH AWARENESS

NEW YORK -- A pharmaceutical company that makes cold medicine often used in 
the illegal production of methamphetamine will finance an education program 
to spot meth use in Arkansas schools.

Pfizer Inc also will subsidize the Arkansas Sheriff's Association 
meth-awareness program, said Leo Hauser, regional manager for Pfizer 
government relations.

Pfizer committed to funding both programs after company representatives 
were involved in drafting state legislation last year to limit the retail 
sale of cold medicine containing ephedrine and pseudephedrine.

"Education is a powerful tool to help the public understand the dangers, 
the downside and the risks of methamphetamine," Hauser said. "We want to 
help proactively stop or slow down meth use before it becomes an addiction 
or a problem that has to be turned over to law enforcement."

The Drug Impairment Training for Educational Professionals has been 
available through the Criminal Justice Institute at the University of 
Arkansas at Little Rock for some time now. However, there hasn't been any 
money to implement the program, said Deborah Flowers, project program 
manager for the institute.

Flowers said the program will be taught in schools by police officers who 
are certified by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration as drug 
recognition experts.

The officers will teach educators to identify signs of meth use in students 
and show school nurses how to conduct appropriate medical evaluations. 
School counselors will learn to effectively talk to parents about the 
suspected drug use and educate them on corresponding drug laws and 
treatment services.

Flowers has asked Pfizer for $100,000 -- half to finance the school 
training and half to subsidize a community drug-education program taught 
through the Arkansas Sheriff's Association. Both programs could operate for 
two years on $100,000, she said.

Hauser said Pfizer will make a "substantial" contribution to the programs 
but couldn't say how much. He said Flowers' request is more than reasonable.

Program organizers are appealing to area corporations for money to stamp 
out meth and other drugs in schools and the community.

"If some local corporations, like Wal-Mart, could help us with funding, it 
would make a huge difference for the community," said Vickie Critcher, the 
wife of state Sen. Jack Critcher, D-Grubbs.

Vickie Critcher volunteers with the sheriff's association program, which 
can't meet the demand for educating the community about meth.

"We've had seminars where we expected 50 people to show up," Critcher said. 
"Instead we had 300 people and ended up turning some people away. We need 
to expand this program across the state."
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