MONTANA METH WATCH PLANS LOCAL AWARENESS PROGRAM

The Bitterroot Valley has been chosen to participate as a pilot community
to implement a new drug awareness program.

Montana Meth Watch will hold a free workshop for businesses and merchants
to increase local awareness of the hazards of methamphetamine in the
valley. The program is the first statewide prevention effort aimed at
curbing the spread of methamphetamine, and is a critical step in reducing
the availability of meth in communities statewide, according to its Web site.

The state-run program will provide a free workshop on the use and
production process of methamphetamine and what businesses can do to
confront and stop drug use on a local level. It will help merchants
recognize what common products are necessary for meth manufacture, and
teach them what they can do to control these purchases.

The workshop will be held Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Westview
Center, 109 W. Ninth, in Hamilton.

Through a partnership between retailers and law enforcement, business
owners can become part of the solution to the growing problem of
methamphetamine in Montana. At the workshop business owners will learn a
host of ways to help make there stores safer and improve employee and
community awareness.

A small grant provided by the state will allow the group materials to start
the local Montana Meth Watch program.

This workshop was sponsored in part by the Drug-Endangered Children Task Force.

The DEC team is a coalition of people from all walks of life; parents of
victims of meth, law enforcement, service providers, interested citizens,
and school representatives.

To confirm attendance call Montana Western Montana Addiction Services at
363-3060.

For more information on the Montana Meth Watch program go to
www.montanamethwatch.com.