REPORT

Anti-drug campaign conducted

Laurel High School seniors Angie Schock, Ashley Colbrese and Madison Lanaghan have organized an anti-drug campaign, which included a luncheon on Wednesday, May 19, to address the needs of the community in regard to area drug and alcohol abuse among students. Sixty key people from Laurel and Billings attended the luncheon, held at First Congregational Church. Mary Haydal, the mother from Miles City who came to Laurel last week to speak to teenagers about her daughter, Cassie's methamphetamine death, addressed participants. She encouraging better communication in the community to help stop the drug and alcohol problem in our area.

Haydal asked for comments from those attending the luncheon about what they considered the “gaps” in reaching young people to keep them from drug and alcohol abuse and what resources are available. Following are some of the comments.

LHS counselor Donnette Pemberton: “I see a lot of denial. Parents aren't willing to believe their child could be involved in drug or alcohol abuse. There is also the problem of dealing with students returning from treatment. They go right back to where they were before.”

Yellowstone County Attorney Dennis Paxinos: “We are aware there isn't enough law enforcement, but citizens need to get their heads out of the sand and get involved. They can't expect law enforcement alone to be the answer.”

Laurel Physical Education teacher Steve Ahmann: “This is a society issue. Beginning at home, kids need to be taught to make good decisions.”

Polly Eames from Rimrock Foundation: “Parents need to change their attitudes about alcohol and drugs. Many see teenagers drinking alcohol or taking drugs as some kind of right of passage. Their mindset is that they will do it anyway so why not show them how to do it safely? It is important that there be a zero tolerance attitude among parents.”

Pastor David Johnson, New Hope Fellowship: “Our young people would benefit from learning the good news about Christ.”

Preschool teacher Denise Kaupish: “We need more parental support groups.”

Billings Elks Lodge Drug Awareness Chairman Bob Hilliard: “It's up to the community to take care of the problem. We can't expect law enforcement to do everything.”

LMS counselor Pam Woerner: “The kids need the skills to resist temptations.”

Local Pharmacist John Barsness: “I see a lot of abuse among adults. Especially abuse of prescription drugs. If the parents can't get it right, the kids won't either.”

Director of Community Resources (Billings) Kristin Lundgren: “People need to be aware of the resources available to them. We offer a lot of resources and can connect people to what they need.”

Laurel Superintendent of Schools Josh Middleton: “There's a lot of assumption and denial. People need to get the facts about what is really going on with the kids.”

LHS counselor Dennis Colbrese: “I see a lack of parental involvement in all aspects of their kids' lives.”

Laurel City Judge Jean Kerr: “There are no counseling services in Laurel for kids involved in drinking and drugs. I have to send all the offenders to Billings. We need a teen Alcoholics Anonymous here in town. We end up with a lot of people falling through the cracks.”

LHS teacher Sue Henderson: “Laurel needs an Aftercare program for kids who've been in treatment. Parents need to have more information about the drugs the kids are getting.”

Laurel Police Chief Rick Musson: “Parents need to hold their kids accountable. There need to be consequences at home.”

The purpose of the event was to bridge some of the communication barriers between the county and Laurel Public Schools. Lundgren, who works for MSU-Billings, has agreed to work with the school board's existing committees to start working on programs in Laurel. The Elks organization has one of the largest anti-drug programs in the area. Chairman Hilliard said he plans to work with the Laurel schools providing free materials as well as working with anti-drug groups. Eames, who is a licensed addiction counselor at Rimrock Foundation, offered their resources and suggested that students be made aware of their 24 hour hotline at 248-3175.

27 May 2004

http://www.laureloutlook.com/articles/2004/05/26/news/3antidrug.txt

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