Pubdate: Thu, 18 Aug 2005
Source: Bennington Banner (VT)
Copyright: 2005 by MediaNews Group, Inc. and NENI Newspapers
Contact:  http://www.benningtonbanner.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2424
Author: Clover Whitham
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mdma.htm (Ecstasy)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hallucinogens.htm (Hallucinogens)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)
Note: Title printed as on website

LOCAL POLICE, SCHOOLS TAKE STEPS TO TEACH STUDENTS ABOUT DANGERS OF 
ALCHOHOL, CIGARETTES, MARIJUANA

BENNINGTON -- Alcohol, tobacco and marijuana abuse are perennial problems 
plaguing young people in the state and the county, officials say.

According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, marijuana is the 
most widely abused drug in Vermont. Marijuana possession is a regular 
charge on the Monday arraignments in Bennington's District Court.

At a forum last week, Bennington District Court Judge David Suntag said 
possession of a malt beverage by a minor is among the top three charges 
filed in district court.

Bennington Police Department School Resource Officer William W. Tatro said 
tobacco use is the most common problem he faces when he patrols the grounds 
of the Mount Anthony Union Middle and High schools.

To combat the offenses, drug education classes have gone beyond the "just 
say no" mantra and brought in the big guns.

Tatro, State's Attorney William D. Wright, Public Defender Marie Wood and 
numerous teachers, counselors and peer mentors have all played a part in 
the school's efforts to reduce substance abuse.

For the past two years Tatro has been teaching an 11-week program called 
Project Alert to seventh graders. The classes focus on the short- and 
long-term effects of tobacco, alcohol and marijuana use. Tatro said he 
talks about the laws and criminal punishments as well as peer pressure.

"They don't know as much as they think they know. Some are pretty educated 
but many are unfamiliar with the effects. Some are totally dumbfounded," 
said Tatro.

Tatro estimated about a quarter of the students think the program isn't 
worthwhile, but the rest find the classes helpful. Teens and administrators 
seem to agree that teaching that deviates from the traditional lecture 
style classes are more appealing.

A group of teenage boys who have been through the middle school health 
classes and Project Alert program had mixed reactions to the classes. While 
there were complaints that the classes were sometimes boring, they said 
they realized the material was important. Visual aids and gadgets like the 
"beer goggles" were liked while lectures weren't. One boy said the pictures 
of a smoker's lung had stuck with him, but he didn't think it was effective.

"They just try to scare us," he said.

"Sometimes the students want something a little more flashy," said Middle 
school Principal David Adams.

Adams said the students seem to be responding well to Project Alert, which 
he says is only one part of a multi-faceted campaign to promote good 
decision making.

Adams said the regular health class curriculum, after school programs and 
seminars for parents are some of the other things the school is doing to 
reduce risky behavior. For Alcohol Awareness Month last April, the school 
hosted a day-long event which included presentations from Wright and Wood.

In the high school, Tatro has two programs that focus on alcohol and harder 
drugs, which he categorizes as "club drugs."

The alcohol program Tatro presents at the high school is called "Fatal 
Vision." It focuses on the consequences of driving under the influence.

For part of this program Tatro has students don "beer goggles," or goggles 
that stimulate vision at two blood alcohol content levels. One pair 
stimulates the effects of a BAC of between .08 and .10 and the other at 
between .17 and .20, over three times the legal limit for driving.

Tatro said the exercise makes people think about how dangerous it would be 
for someone to drive under those conditions after they see how much vision 
is effected.

Tatro hopes to bring in a car programed to drive itself as a drunk driver 
would to future versions of his program.

After seeing a presentation in Boston, Tatro and a MAUHS student brought 
the ideas for what is now the Club Drugs program to the high school.

The program covers four drugs that have become more popular with teens: 
ecstasy, ketamine, LSD and GHB.

Tatro said ecstasy is becoming more and more prevalent, and because it 
comes in pill form it is easier to conceal.

According to Tatro, selling ecstasy is a lucrative business until, of 
course, the dealer is caught. Pills are typically sold for between $20 and 
$40 each, but can be made for only 7 cents.

Another one of the drugs covered in the program is an animal tranquilizer. 
Ketamine, which goes by the street names of super acid, jet, K and Special 
K, has been the sought-after treasure in many burglaries of veterinarian's 
offices. Tatro said in the past three or four years, every burglary of a 
vet's office involved the theft of ketamine.

Tatro said the school programs do not cost the schools extra money beyond 
what they pay for his services as a school resource officer.
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MAP posted-by: Beth