ANTI-DRUG SUMMIT COMES TO YAKIMA

The state's drug abuse prevention leaders are in Yakima this weekend
learning new strategies for keeping Washington healthy and drug-free.

More than 600 teachers, students, law enforcement officers, clergy
and health professionals are at the Yakima Convention Center for the
Washington State Prevention Summit, which ends Saturday.

In his opening remarks, Mike Lowther, director of state and community
assistance at the national Center for Substance Abuse Prevention,
called on attendees to work together to lower substance abuse rates.

"You can succeed; in fact, you have been succeeding in this state for
some time," he said.

According to the 2004 Healthy Youth Survey by the state Division of
Alcohol and Substance Abuse, marijuana and cigarette smoking rates
among young people were significantly lower than in 2002. Alcohol
use, however, increased 3.3 percent.

That means the Prevention Summit leaders have more work ahead of them.

What they need to do, Lowther said, is attack substance abuse at the
community level and not rely on state or national agencies like his.

"Local people solve local problems the best," he said. "Every
community needs to reinvent their own wheel. Our job is to make sure
you don't reinvent the flat tire."

Throughout the summit, attendees will hear from speakers and
participate in personalized workshops where they'll learn new
techniques that could help them lower drug-use rates, create
community solutions to delinquency, get their messages in the media
and accomplish other goals.

Susan Martin, parent involvement coordinator for Educational Service
District 105, said students from many of Yakima's schools are
attending the annual convention. She said many of Yakima's youths are
involved in prevention activities and seem to grasp the idea behind
her organization.

"Healthy, safe and drug-free kids are most likely to succeed in
school," Martin said.

If You Go

The Washington State Prevention Summit continues through Saturday at
the Yakima Convention Center, 10 N. Eighth St.

Registration is $150 for adults, $35 for youths.