POT, PILLS, METH PLAGUE CRESTON AREA

Marijuana, meth and pills.

Whether they're being smoked, snorted or injected, these drugs are abused
regularly in Creston.

Creston Police Chief Paul Ver Meer said the drug problem in Creston is
being combated with "aggressive patrol" by his officers. This includes the
use of informants and enforcement of laws on the books, added Ver Meer.

"We have zero tolerance for any controlled substance abuse," said Ver Meer
plainly. "If we find somebody with drugs, they're going to be arrested."

However, Ver Meer said the best way to have his officers fighting the drug
problem as best they can is through drug law enforcement training. Ver
Meer brought up the fact that the average age of officers on the Creston
Police Department is fairly young and experience is key in fighting
illegal drug use in their town.

"We have a lot of young officers and they have to know what to look for,"
said Ver Meer.

Why They Use

Ver Meer and Crossroads Mental Health Center director Rick Rice agreed
alcohol is a gateway substance, which can lead some people to get high in
other ways.

Ver Meer specifically cited poor socioeconomic status for drug abuse.

"If they have a strong family nucleus, you'll find it's usually less (that
they're) doing drugs than if it's a family whose father or mother is
missing," Ver Meer said.

Ver Meer said there may be a connection between the economic recession in
America and increased drug abuse.

"People that use drugs, they use them for a reason, to help with some type
of situation they can't control, be it marriage problems, job problems,
financial problems," said Ver Meer. "If they're not working they feel like
they're not a gainful member of society, it could lead to that."

Peer pressure to experiment with drugs among Creston youths is not as big
a factor as it once was, Ver Meer noted. He said the youths of today think
for themselves a lot more than they did when he was growing up.

There's no age limit on those being arrested for illegal drug-related
crimes, said Ver Meer. He said, since starting with the department only a
few months ago, he's seen everyone from juveniles to those in their 40s
get busted.

"Usually the older ones are into the harder drugs," explained Ver Meer.
"They've just been doing it longer."

Drugs Of Choice

Marijuana is the most widely used illegal drug in the United States, and
Creston is no exception. Ver Meer said the drug is at the top of the list
when it comes to drug offenses in Creston.

Even though some marijuana users are repulsed by the idea of using other
drugs such as meth and cocaine, Ver Meer said these people are breaking
the law just the same. He added, Meth is second in line when it comes to
the top drugs abuse in the Creston area.

"Some people smoke marijuana and don't think it's any worse than
cigarettes, which I believe is wrong" said Ver Meer. "It's illegal for a
reason."

Rice said the reason people end up doing certain drugs depends on a very
simple concept - they'll do whatever is available to them locally.

Unfortunately, this can lead to addiction, which can consume a person's
life before they're even aware it's a problem, he said.

"It used to be that 40 years ago alcohol was the primary one with some
drug usage," explained Rice. "But now we see whatever is available, what
ever they can get a hold of."