Pubdate: Sat, 13 Dec 2003
Source: Ashland Daily Tidings (OR)
Copyright: 2003 Lee Northwest Publishing
Contact:  http://www.dailytidings.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1165
Author: Bill Choy

DRUG EXPERT TO DISCUSS DANGERS OF MARIJUANA

Concerns about drug use in the community and its effects on youth has 
prompted the Ashland School District to bring in an expert to tell teens 
and the community how marijuana use impacts an individual.

Eric Martin, M.A., CADC III, executive director of the Addiction Consumer 
Certi-fication Board of Oregon and a nationally recognized expert on drug 
abuse, will hold a presentation for parents and their teens on Monday night.

Martin will also talk to several different health classes at Ashland High 
School on Monday and Tuesday. The presentation is sponsored by the Ashland 
School District Safe & Drug Free Schools Advisory Committee.

He has 20 years experience in the addiction treatment field and has won 
numerous awards, including the 2002 Oregon Governor's Award of Excellence. 
Drug and alcohol abuse is an issue affecting communities across the country 
and state, according to local educators.

"It's something educators have been playing close attention to for a number 
of years," said Juanita Fagan, administrative chairperson for the drug free 
advisory committee and principal at Bellview Elementary School.

She hopes Martin's presentation will help shed some light on marijuana use.

"I think we need to insure this information is made available to the 
community," Fagan said.

Martin will cover newer research regarding the increasing potency of 
marijuana. He will also discuss whether or not marijuana is really natural, 
how marijuana affects your heart, brain, and memory, and how marijuana 
interacts with other drugs.

Belinda Brown, school nurse at the district's elementary and middle 
schools, said Martin gives a hands-on presentation that makes it easy to 
understand what marijuana does to a person's brain.

"He's very knowledgeable in drug abuse and, through hands-on presentations, 
shows exactly how marijuana affects your health," she said. "He's able to 
present it in a way that makes sense to people."

Brown encouraged parents and teens to attend the presentation.

"It's an excellent opportunity to have parents and their teens receive the 
same information at the same time," she said. "This should promote 
meaningful dialogue between parents and teens and promote parent 
credibility with teens."

Peer pressure using marijuana is a dilemma many local teens are facing, 
Brown said.

"We realize this is an issue many teens are facing in this community," she 
said. "There is a perception by some people that it's OK to use [marijuana] 
when in reality it's not. It's good for the community to come, hear the 
facts, and make an educated decision."

The public presentation with Martin will be held at the Ashland High School 
Moun-tain Avenue Theater from 7 to 8:30 p.m on Monday.

For more information, call Juanita Fagan at 482-1310.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart