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.