WE NEED TO SOLVE DRUG PROBLEM

It's noteworthy that two recent surveys - one by an agency involved in
community services, another by a law enforcement agency - both found that
residents of western Nevada County believe drug and alcohol abuse are the
most serious problems facing the community.

We doubt that these survey results arise from knee-jerk political reactions
from conservative residents. Rather, they're indicative that western Nevada
County residents see that alcohol and drugs cause myriad social problems.

The Grass Valley City Council tonight will receive the results of a study in
which 143 residents were asked to identify the most serious law enforcement
problems in the city. Drug abuse was cited by nearly half the respondents. A
third of the respondents said they view alcohol-related problems as serious.

That correlates closely with the comprehensive survey of community needs
undertaken by United Way of Nevada County last year. That study found well
over 40 percent of western Nevada County residents view alcohol and drug
abuse as a very significant problem in their community, and nearly everyone
surveyed voiced some concern about the problem.

Both surveys point out that residents of western Nevada County are aware
that a multitude of society's problems - everything from burglary to child
abuse, from school truancy to highway safety - often have roots in drinking
or drug use. That's a perceptive analysis, and it indicates the community is
interested in attacking root causes rather than symptoms.

At the same time, however, the problems are devilishy difficult to address.

Where is the line between the warehouseman who has a quiet beer after work
and the professional whose family collapses under the weight of her drinking
at business social events? At what point does the community have the right -
or the responsibility - to insist that people seek help for personal habits?
What treatment options - if any - work well enough to justify the cost? And
who should pay?

The difficulty of the questions mustn't stop us from seeking answers, and
strong community agreement that alcohol and drug abuse are the root of many
evils provides solid base for action.