OCR Text |
Show Meeting exposes horrors of drug alcohol abuse ' .: : ;- " :': . .. '. ; a' : i - 4 k .. 1 i, I would rather have a town full 'Awakes and rabid dogs than 2 Pushers," commented a jant Grove parent whose child Jrf?e bvolved with drugs Jrne was a member of a panel cirlpated in e Pleasant i nT? People town Zcrmy ni8ht at the WoVeJuni0r High School. cipai a vn cer-:a doctor, a prin-'X.nguW9manwhohad prin-'X.nguW9manwhohad been 2r oS0.1 Pendent, and a frfthe Cottage Program, ha nl "Wed to questions 2n f0ll0wing the HS.. video- "The lheennce was very interested -e of the young woman, arouLk 18 trying to turn leW She bought she would alri1? h,ad not lacked self- i ied around her. 5 S and 5aVthese Ple using i f r ? ked rather ! &that she felt her t 2toiK everything they -&KJfcta but she Both she and the parent on the panel said that from their experience ex-perience the user is self-centered and concerned only about themselves. them-selves. They lacked the capacity to love while using the chemicals. The doctor reported that it is important to remember that alcoholism is a disease and should be recognized as such. Asked if the problems with chemical abuse is any different in Utah than in the other places he has lived, he said the problems are similar everywhere. Gail Judd, representing the Cottage Program-, reported that 20 percent of the junior high and high school students in Utah have a drug andor alcohol problem. Lt. Tom Paul, moderator for the discussion and Pleasant Grove Police Officer, said that arrests of juveniles for drugs other than alcohol went up 133 percent last year in Pleasant Grove. He said this was not due, necessarily, to more kids using it but because of more rigid enforcement by the officers. Dr. Steven Baugh, principal of the Pleasant Grove Junior High School, said that they have cited juveniles for tobacco at the school and two girls came to school one morning after using alcohol. He said the administration of the school usually knows within just a few minutes that these things have occurred and do not give much opportunity for them to get by with it-He it-He added that they check the restrooms regularly and hall passes been using the chemicals for some time that she realized what the negative elements of alcohol and drug abuse are. Lt. Paul explained that kids are interested in physical fitness now and many feel drugs are not good for their bodies. He further noted that as he lectures to young people he knows that kids are not naive and that they are more aware of the extent of the problem than the parents are. He pointed out that the junior high school is the largest school in the Pleasant Grove area and both it and the high school are very helpful and supportive of enforcement of the laws. One citizen at the meeting commented on the small number of people in attendance at such an important meeting and asked what he could do to stir up others. About 42 people, including the panel members, were in attendance at the meeting. Lt. Paul encouraged everyone in attendance to get involved in fighting the problem and in educating the public about it. The doctor said that there is a double standard which is confusing to the kids and they cannot reconcile it. He reminded everyone that it is illegal to use alcohol under the age of 18 but over 18 it is OK and this presents a problem. He said those wishing to help should make themselves really educated on the subject but cautioned them to not repeat rumors. He urged them to get the truth, go to the library, then let your family know exactly what happens to them when they get involved with drugs or alcohol. One citizen in the audience suggested that parents be more attentive and listen to their teenagers. "Pick them up and run with them if it becomes necessary," he said. Susan said that for her it was kind of hard to get the alchohol and drugs. At first, she would go wait around the liquor store and ask strangers to buy alcohol for her and sometimes it took awhile. She explained ex-plained that she needed to know the right people to get the drugs and alcohol and when she did it was then easy. The parent on the panel made his comment about rather having rattlesnakes and rabid dogs in town than drugpushers and followed it up by saying that often the police know who the pushers are but they cannot arrest them because of technicalities. "We need to get to the legislators and get them to put some teeth into the law so that police can arrest pushers. Let's make the punishment so severe that we can stop the traffic of drugs in our community," he stresssed. Pleasant Grove Police Chief Mike Ferre said he was sorry there weren't more people in attendance at the meeting because it was very informative and very well done. Those interested in a followup meeting should contact Lt. Paul, Alice Aaamson or Helen Hatch. DR. DALE R. TATE, right, explains that alcoholism is a disease and should be treated as such to those assembled at the Pleasant Grove Chemical People Town Meeting held Thursday. Beside him is Gail Judd, another panel member, who represented the Cottage Program. are needed by those who are out of the classrooms. He said the hall passes are checked, students are not allowed j off campus at lunch time and those1 leaving the school for any reason must check in and out. Lt. Paul stated that at a recent junior high dance a large group of students brought him a bottle with alcohol in it and said they did not want it at their dance. Mrs. Judd said that awareness of the seriousness of the drug and alcohol problem is helping. The video had brought out that across the nation many parents deny that there is a problem in their community com-munity or that their child could be involved with chemicals. Young people getting involved in the use of drugs and alcohol feel that they do not have a problem and that they can get out of it anytimt. Susan said it wasn't until she had |