Pubdate: Fri, 10 Aug 2007
Source: Brattleboro Reformer (VT)
Copyright: 2007 Brattleboro Publishing Co.
Contact:  http://www.reformer.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/59
Author: Patrick J. Crowley
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)

SEARCHING FOR THE CURE

Editor's note: This is the fourth and final in a  four-part series of 
articles exploring the drug trade  coming in or traveling through 
Windham County. This  article looks at the various ways officials 
have tried  to battle drug abuse over the years.

Over the last 50 years, Vermont, like the rest of the country, has 
tried various approaches  to preventing drug abuse.

In the 1960s, it tried to scare kids into staying away  from "reefer 
madness" and other drugs. That didn't  really work.

In the 1970s, the kids were given far too much  information on the 
drugs through school programs that  also tried to boost their self-esteem.

In the 1980s, the phrase was "Just Say No," but the  kids were never 
really told how to say "no."

But in the 1990s and this decade, the approach has  shifted to 
research-based programs that take a closer  look at a child's risk factors.

"We've had to learn from our mistakes," said Robin  Rieske, one of 
the state's drug abuse prevention  specialists who works in Brattleboro.

Rieske is one of 10 prevention specialists who are  scattered across 
the state to help build local  facilities for drug and alcohol 
treatment and assure  "that every community has this issue on their 
radar,"  according to Rieske.

"It definitely pays off," she said. "And our data shows  that our 
efforts are paying off."

In the 2005 Vermont Youth Risk Behavior Survey (which  surveyed 
grades 8 though 12), state numbers show declining or static use. 
Twenty-two percent of students used marijuana, down from 32 percent 
in 1997. Three percent of students used heroin, the same numbers were 
given in 2003 and 2001.

In numbers just for Windham County students, 43 percent  tried 
marijuana in 2005, down slightly from 45 percent  in 2003. The 
percentage of students who have tried  cocaine remained at 9 percent 
in both 2003 and 2005.  Three percent tried heroin in 2005, down from 
4 percent  in 2003 and 7 percent tried methamphetamine in 2005,  down 
from 9 percent in 2003.

The survey also showed that 22 percent of students were  offered, 
sold or given an illegal drug on school  property.

But for parents, any number is too high, so the  prevention efforts 
come from all sides.

"We've always approached the issue as proactively as  possible in the 
state," said Rieske.

Much of that is Gov. James Douglas' DETER Initiative,  which stands 
for Drug Education, Treatment, Enforcement  and Rehabilitation. The 
program funds nearly $3 million  worth of new programs and 
coordinates them into a  single statewide effort.

"Vermont is doing more than it ever has before to  address substance 
abuse and because of the governor's  focus on this issue, our 
resources are targeted at the  most effective solutions. In most 
cases those solutions  are found at the community level," said Jason 
Gibbs, the governor's press secretary.

Gibbs explained that DETER was put into effect when  Douglas came 
into office in 2003. Over five years,  Gibbs said, the state has 
invested nearly $22 million  in drug education, treatment and rehabilitation.

The program also brought a money, such as the  "Directions" and "Drug 
Free Community" grants.

Grants like those often end up going to community drug  prevention 
organizations, like the Brattleboro Area  Prevention Coalition.

The prevention coalition, since 1990, said it has  helped in 
"increasing the effectiveness of drug and  alcohol prevention 
programs" through either direct  service or support of other organizations.

And while methamphetamine abuse hasn't become a serious  threat in 
the state, the drug prevention programs  aren't leaving America's 
most dangerous drug out of the  picture.

To start with, Douglas signed the Vermont Act 164  Relating to 
Precursor Drugs of Methamphetamine law in  May last year, which 
essentially has the same  conditions as the federal law which 
requires that  certain cold medicines are sold behind the 
counter.  Customers also are only allowed to purchase a 
30-day  supply and have to present identification and put their  name 
in a log book upon purchase.

Essentially, the Vermont law was created to add state  penalties that 
would be in effect if the federal law is  withdrawn.

In Vermont, possession with the intent to make  methamphetamine of 
less than 9 grams could land an  offender in prison for up to 1 year 
with a $2,000 fine.  More than 9 grams could mean up to 5 years in 
prison  and a $10,000 fine.

The prevention efforts go beyond just the legislation,  a state official said.

"From a health perspective, we have been aggressive,"  said Barbara 
Cimaglio, deputy commissioner for alcohol  and drug abuse programs at 
the Vermont Department of  Health.

The treatment providers, she said, are kept up-to-date  with the 
latest training in terms of meth abuse.

"We try to make sure we're getting out information as  the issues 
change," Cimaglio said.

Two years ago, a regional meeting of state law  enforcement, health 
and prevention communities started  an effort to expand community 
education -- that means  more students will be getting a lesson about 
the many  dangers of methamphetamine on top of the usual talks  about 
drunk driving and peer pressure.

"It's become part of our prevention vocabulary," said Rieske.

First responders -- police, EMTs and firefighters --  are another 
group that is getting its fair share of  meth knowledge, so they know 
what to look for if a  house is suspected of meth operation.

But if they see changes in the drug scene in Vermont,  they will 
change their strategy, said Cimaglio. The key  is being ready.

"You really, realistically, have to be prepared for  something like 
this," said Garrison Courtney, a U.S.  Drug Enforcement 
Administration spokesman. He said  states like Vermont are in the 
best position when they  are prepared. If meth producers have the 
time and  freedom to develop roots in the community and a 
network  for distribution, it will take years to take the full  network out.

Midwestern states like Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska  learned that 
the hard way, as they were caught  completely offguard by the arrival 
of meth in the  1990s.

"Whatever is being done prevention wise, it seems to be  working," 
said Jenny Burtis, executive director of  Turning Point Recovery 
Center of Windham County, a new  drug treatment facility in 
Brattleboro. She said in the  time her recovery center has been open, 
no person has  been admitted listing a primary drug problem with 
methamphetamine.

But she said the No. 1 problem in terms of alcohol and  substance 
abuse in Vermont is what low-income families  face on a daily basis.

"The hopelessness of poverty goes hand in hand with the  disease of 
addiction," she said.

Another big issue, she said, is that while the state  does have some 
good treatment options, there simply  aren't enough. When a person 
decides to finally go to  treatment, that is a big moment for them. 
But if they  can't get into a treatment facility within a 
decent  time frame, it becomes a big problem, leaving them weak  and 
vulnerable to fall back into addiction.

Still, the state likes to think its program is working,  and will 
continue to work.

"The best thing about our approach is that we're as  comprehensive as 
possible," said Rieske.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom