Pubdate: Wed, 26 Apr 2006 Source: Airdrie Echo (CN AB) Copyright: 2006 Airdrie Echo Contact: http://www.airdrieecho.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1558 Author: Anne Beaty, Airdrie Echo CONCERNED CITIZENS JOIN FORCES In response to widespread concerns, the newly formed Airdrie regional drug impact team is taking a proactive approach to the issue of drug use in the community. Bringing together representatives from a wide variety of resources -- Airdrie Emergency Services (AES), RCMP, AADAC, social services, youth organizations, North Rocky View schools -- the team aims to provide education, raise awareness and offer prevention and intervention initiatives in regard to such drugs as methamphetamine. "It's an interdisciplinary group of people," team member Suzanne Rieger said. "It's all a completely voluntary organization." Although the devastating effects of methamphetamine have not yet reached epidemic proportions in the community, the regional drug impact team wants to take steps to stop any drug problems before they start. As such, the project-based team will be focusing on the whole spectrum of drug abuse and how best to educate the public. "We didn't want to nail it down to one drug -- and of course, alcohol is a drug," Rieger said. As an AES member, a local business woman and a mother, Rieger sees the drug issues from both professional and personal perspectives and she wants to be able to make a difference in her community. "We have kids and we understand the impacts," she said. The team's next meeting is in mid-May and Rieger said that public input and community involvement will be welcomed down the road. In the meantime, she said, any type of corporate or individual sponsorship and support would be appreciated. "We're very limited at this point in time as to funding that we have," she said. - --- MAP posted-by: Jackl