Pubdate: Mon, 24 Sep 2012
Source: Naples Daily News (FL)
Copyright: 2012 Naples Daily News
Contact: http://www.naplesnews.com/send-a-letter/
Website: http://www.naplesnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/284

VOLUNTEERS FILL THE DRUG INFO GAP

Drug Free Collier

Thank goodness for the Drug Free Collier organization.

The team of law-enforcement, counseling and education officials 
monitor substance abuse trends in the community and take action. That 
includes advising the public on what may be going on under the radar 
and sponsoring events such as Operation Medicine Cabinet to get old, 
excess prescription drugs out of reach.

The organization's latest alert deals with synthetic drugs, such as 
bath salts and fake marijuana.

Their chemical makeup is not illegal, yet people who buy them at 
convenience stores seeking a cheap high can hurt themselves.

Every time lawmakers declare a certain compound illegal, 
manufacturers simply alter the makeup of these products with catchy 
names such as Spice, Jazz or Mr. Nice Guy.

Makers also skirt the law by labeling the products "not for human consumption."

Really?

Officials at a recent presentation by Drug Free Collier said the 
popularity of this junk is so widespread that drug court participants 
regularly test positive, and eight out of every 10 youngsters treated 
by the David Lawrence Center have tried synthetic marijuana.

As a clinical supervisor at the mental health treatment center put 
it, "Parents thinks this is Collier County, it's not Miami. It's a 
problem locally, definitely."

We get the picture.

It can happen here.

Let's be on the lookout and talk to the young people we care about. 
Let's tell them we care and coach them away from this nonsense.

And thanks once again to the Drug Free Collier organization for being 
there and helping inform us.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom