Pubdate: Mon, 16 Oct 2006 Source: Rolla Daily News (MO) Copyright: 2006 Rolla Daily News Contact: http://www.therolladailynews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1189 PHELPS COUNTY ANTI-DRUG COMMITTEE TO RAISE DRUG AWARENESS One of the most extensive anti-drug campaigns in Missouri last year was in Phelps County. This year's effort, beginning Oct. 13, is another major endeavor by the Phelps County Anti-drug Committee to raise drug awareness dangers, especially among the county student population grades six through twelve. More than 4,858 T-shirts have been made available for students in those grades in Newburg, Rolla and St. James school districts for their first wear on Oct. 13. Over 500 anti-drug posters are being distributed in the school systems and a Web site, losesomething.com is up and running with information and resources to aid in the campaign. Newspaper, television, and radio releases are also a major part of this year's anti-drug work. Methamphetamine has overtaken cocaine as the most used drug in the United States. Missouri has actually reduced meth "incidents" but the drug's usage remains in epidemic proportion. The drug is so addictive that most first-time users are immediately dependent upon it and rehabilitation is agonizingly low in its success. The percentage of meth-related prison inmates in the Phelps County Jail remains far more than half of total inmates on any given day. Inmates may be in for possession, usage, distribution, or in many cases, theft, larceny, burglary, etc., to obtain money to buy drugs. In 2005, a 28-minute DVD was produced locally featuring local law enforcement agencies including Sheriff Don Blankenship, Rolla Police Chief David Pikka and Prosecuting Attorney Ken Clayton. The video also contained statements from a Rolla mother whose son is a meth addict, a former addict who is now working to raise drug awareness and actively aid in rehabilitation, and an undercover law officer who demonstrated how commonly used articles could be used to conceal drugs. Some copies of the 2005 video are still available free of charge at the Phelps County Prosecuting Attorney's office along with a resource CD and anti-drug posters. Fidelity Cable ran the video "The Misery of Meth" DVD 10 times in 2005. A "No Thanks, No Way" T-shirt with the universal stop sign logo was distributed to schools in 2005. This year's T-shirt shows a young man sitting down with a prescription pill bottle and a beer can beside him and text reading "Lose Something?" on the front, and "Friends, Family, Grades, Dates, Job, Respect, Your Future," on the back with a bottom line of "No thanks, No Way." The shirt also shows the Web site address. Home testing for drugs is readily available. One such site is www.TestMyTeen.com and usage instructions are simple. The committee points out that one of the advantages of having a home testing kit is that when a student is offered drugs he or she can say, "No, I can't. I'm tested at home." It relieves a great deal of peer pressure. Funding for the Phelps County Anti-Drug Committee comes from Sheriff Don Blankenship's drug interdiction efforts combined with Prosecuting Attorney Ken Clayton's direction and the federal fund procurements his office has obtained. The committee is composed of Clayton, Rolla School Superintendent Dr. Jerry Giger, Newburg Superintendent Jane Reeves, St. James Superintendent Joy Tucker, St. James Middle School Principal Keith McCarthy, Bruce Wade of First Baptist Church, Jamie Myers of Prevention Consultants, Jeff McKune from Phelps County Regional Medical Center and Bob McKune. The Phelps County Anti-Drug Committee has pointed out that anti-drug efforts must be continual and plans for a theme for next year are already being considered. The committee, authorized by the Phelps County Commissioners, is directed through Prosecuting Attorney Ken Clayton's office. - --- MAP posted-by: Elaine