Pubdate: Tue, 02 Oct 2007
Source: Pacific Daily News (US GU)
Copyright: 2007 Pacific Daily News
Contact: http://www.guampdn.com/customerservice/contactus.html
Website: http://www.guampdn.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1122
Author: Stephanie Godlewski

ANTI-DRUG WEEK SET TO LAUNCH OCT. 23

Addressing the island's drug problem will take a  community effort, 
said local and federal officials  yesterday as they joined the 
country in a week-long  drug prevention campaign.

In 2005, 19.8 percent of high school seniors, 15.2  percent of 10th 
graders and 6.6 percent of eighth  graders abused marijuana in one 
month, according to the  National Center for Health Statistics.

More Guam youth have tried marijuana by the time they  turn 13 than 
U.S. youth in general in 2003, according  to the Guam Substance Abuse 
Epidemiological Profile.  The local statistics also show that in 
2003, lifetime  and current marijuana use were higher in Guam 
youth  than the U.S. national average.

These are the kinds of statistics Red Ribbon Week, the oldest and 
largest drug prevention program in the United States, is trying to lower.

The program began in 1985 to memorialize a U.S. Drug  Enforcement 
Agent who was murdered by drug traffickers  and has since grown into 
a week of drug prevention and  education activities. Friends and 
neighbors of DEA  Agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena began wearing red 
ribbons  after he was murdered in Mexico City. The ribbons were  worn 
not only to honor Camarena but also to stand as a  symbol of 
intolerance to illegal drug use.

Representatives from organizations including the  Chamber of 
Commerce, U.S. DEA, Guam Police Department  and Guam National Guard 
were present yesterday as Gov.  Felix Camacho signed a proclamation 
declaring Red Ribbon Week Oct. 23 through Oct. 31, underscoring 
the  need to stop illegal drug use and sale,

"It's going to take a community effort. This is a  scourge on our 
community. We have to work together,"  Camacho said during the signing.

Guam National Guard Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Donald  Goldhorn said 
drug prevention is not a new task for the  Guard, which spent more 
than $1million on drug and  alcohol prevention in schools last year.

"We believe that a healthy lifestyle for our young  population is 
what America needs. Red Ribbon week gives  us the opportunity to team 
up with all community  members who are involved in drug and alcohol 
prevention," Goldhorn said.

Tony Marquez, the resident-agent-in-charge of the U.S.  DEA on Guam, 
was present at the signing and said the  agency is working with local 
and federal agencies to  eradicate the problem on Guam.

When asked about the eradication operation that took  place in Yona 
last week, Marquez explained that the  process is a routine one.

"We will periodically do eradication operations. What  we're trying 
to do is discover marijuana fields that  are growing on the island, 
then take appropriate action  to eliminate those fields. We were 
looking at a  residence where we discovered some marijuana but 
at  this point it is an ongoing investigation so I can't  comment," 
Marquez said.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom