Pubdate: Wed, 21 Dec 2005 Source: Times Leader (Wilkes-Barre, PA) Copyright: 2005 The Times Leader Contact: http://www.timesleader.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/933 Author: Jennifer Learn-Andes DRUG PANEL SAYS ABUSE PREVALENT IN SUBURBIA Middle-Class Workers Are Just As Likely To Have A Problem, Say Commission Members. Members of the Luzerne County Drug/Alcohol Study Commission wondered aloud how to make the public understand that many individuals who snort, shoot up, swallow and smoke drugs in these parts live in nice homes. "We're still dealing with a perception problem. How do we combat that?" asked Ned Delaney, the commission's community representative, during Tuesday's monthly meeting. When people think "drug abuse," they picture dealers nabbed in busts, he said. But in reality, it is just as likely - if not more likely - that it is teachers, production workers or other professionals who are abusing drugs, Delaney added. People from the middle and upper-middle classes are "toking up" at night, he said. "What is the real face of the drug and alcohol problem?" Delaney asked. Mike Donahue, head of the county's drug and alcohol treatment department, agreed. "We've got to stop suburbia from disqualifying itself," he said. Mike Lombardo, the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce's senior vice president and chief operating officer, said people have kept the myth alive to avoid facing the reality that the drug trade is "perpetuated" by people who can afford to buy drugs. Commission member Gerald Deady said he'd like to see an effective ad campaign to get the message out, but there's no money to fund it. Delaney said the media should do investigative pieces to reveal how many professionals abuse drugs. However, some members said it's harder to get professionals to speak openly about their addiction or recovery because of the stigma attached to drug use. The Rev. Thomas O'Hara, also a commission member, said the group must try hard to attract new people to meetings planned to address the drug problem so the sessions don't become pep rallies for those already devoted to the cause. Commission members also decided that they might back two new initiatives to help restore shrinking funding for drug and alcohol treatment and prevention. Lynn Cooper of the Pennsylvania Community Providers Association told the group about a statewide push to obtain drug and alcohol funding by increasing the beer tax and reprogramming an existing tax on alcohol and spirits that goes into the state's general fund. The proposal would raise tax on beer from 8 cents per gallon to 66 cents per gallon. Cooper said the governor failed to get the beer tax passed because he wanted to use the money for education, but she thinks legislators and the public would be more supportive if the money was going directly to drug and alcohol treatment and prevention. Donahue said something has to be done. One funding stream was recently cut by $70,000, he said. Ed Pane, head of Serento Gardens Alcoholism and Drug Services in Hazleton, said demand for services increases while government funding is shrinking. "This is insane. This is absolutely insane," Pane said. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom