1dayatatime
12-22-2004, 02:03 PM
Fighting meth an uphill battle
Last in a series
By Chuck Morris
Staff Writer
Those fighting the rising tide of methamphetamine abuse say the key to preventing addiction is teaching kids to stay away from drugs at an early age.
In Upson, prevention begins in elementary school.
Vicki Smith, Coordinator for Safe and Drug Free Schools (SDFS), said that it is important that the school system have drug-free awareness programs.
"We do have a life skills program for the North and South schools," said Smith. "FYCA works in collaboration with the SDFS Program and sends people to teach the classes."
Efforts to keep kids off drugs are stressed in every grade level from kindergarten to 12th grade.
"We have awareness programs to hopefully educate the kids to stay away from methamphetamine and other drugs," said Upson-Lee Middle School Principal Patsy Dean.
"We're doing everything possible to deter these kids from being involved with drugs," said Upson-Lee High School Principal Cleve Hendrix. "We offer alternatives to drugs.
"We offer activities, such as clubs, sports, band, chorus, and a great deal of others," he said. "We offer these not only so the kids can be involved in extracurricular activities but just as well to encourage them to be involved with these activities and hopefully keep them away from things like meth."
At ULHS they take the seriousness of methamphetamine one step further, administering drug tests and searches.
"We're doing everything possible to deter kids from being involved with drugs," he said. "To help one child makes it all worth it."
There are other efforts to prevent methamphetamine from reaching the streets.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, has now made it virtually impossible to get large amounts of over-the-counter cold medication, a principal ingredient in the drug.
"The DEA has put a lot of restrictions on the chemicals they could get," he said. "The problem kind of fades after they add new restrictions."
These restrictions include the new law that places all cold medicines containing pseudophedrine or ephedrine behind the counter. From now on, you have to sign a log book in order to get these medicines.
For those who find themselves addicted, treatment is available in Upson.
"We do offer substance abuse treatment," said Rose Marie Hardeman, Director of Upson Counseling Center (UCC). "How long treatments last depends on diagnostic assessment of a patient, such as how long have they been using the drug.
"UCC starts the treatments and if further treatments are needed, they are sent to other hospitals," she said. "Sometimes Pinewood in Barnesville; it depends on how severe the case is.
"We treat people of all ages, ranging from adolescents all the way up to senior adult ages," she said. "This drug is unique because it is being used by people of different socioeconomic groups."
But although prevention and treatment is stressed in schools, law enforcement officers say doing away with the problem is easier said than done.
"We're going to keep fighting it. We'll fight it every day," said Sheriff Don Peacock. "I don't think we will ever stop drugs, but we can prevent them from taking over. We are going to fight against drugs as best as we can."
Last in a series
By Chuck Morris
Staff Writer
Those fighting the rising tide of methamphetamine abuse say the key to preventing addiction is teaching kids to stay away from drugs at an early age.
In Upson, prevention begins in elementary school.
Vicki Smith, Coordinator for Safe and Drug Free Schools (SDFS), said that it is important that the school system have drug-free awareness programs.
"We do have a life skills program for the North and South schools," said Smith. "FYCA works in collaboration with the SDFS Program and sends people to teach the classes."
Efforts to keep kids off drugs are stressed in every grade level from kindergarten to 12th grade.
"We have awareness programs to hopefully educate the kids to stay away from methamphetamine and other drugs," said Upson-Lee Middle School Principal Patsy Dean.
"We're doing everything possible to deter these kids from being involved with drugs," said Upson-Lee High School Principal Cleve Hendrix. "We offer alternatives to drugs.
"We offer activities, such as clubs, sports, band, chorus, and a great deal of others," he said. "We offer these not only so the kids can be involved in extracurricular activities but just as well to encourage them to be involved with these activities and hopefully keep them away from things like meth."
At ULHS they take the seriousness of methamphetamine one step further, administering drug tests and searches.
"We're doing everything possible to deter kids from being involved with drugs," he said. "To help one child makes it all worth it."
There are other efforts to prevent methamphetamine from reaching the streets.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, has now made it virtually impossible to get large amounts of over-the-counter cold medication, a principal ingredient in the drug.
"The DEA has put a lot of restrictions on the chemicals they could get," he said. "The problem kind of fades after they add new restrictions."
These restrictions include the new law that places all cold medicines containing pseudophedrine or ephedrine behind the counter. From now on, you have to sign a log book in order to get these medicines.
For those who find themselves addicted, treatment is available in Upson.
"We do offer substance abuse treatment," said Rose Marie Hardeman, Director of Upson Counseling Center (UCC). "How long treatments last depends on diagnostic assessment of a patient, such as how long have they been using the drug.
"UCC starts the treatments and if further treatments are needed, they are sent to other hospitals," she said. "Sometimes Pinewood in Barnesville; it depends on how severe the case is.
"We treat people of all ages, ranging from adolescents all the way up to senior adult ages," she said. "This drug is unique because it is being used by people of different socioeconomic groups."
But although prevention and treatment is stressed in schools, law enforcement officers say doing away with the problem is easier said than done.
"We're going to keep fighting it. We'll fight it every day," said Sheriff Don Peacock. "I don't think we will ever stop drugs, but we can prevent them from taking over. We are going to fight against drugs as best as we can."