COALITION COMBATTING TEEN DRUG USE

HOUGHTON - A variety of groups are pooling their resources to combat
underage drug use in the Copper Country. The Copper Country Coalition
for a Drug-Free Community began holding meetings in January. The
group, which is funded through a federal Drug-Free Community Support
Grant, unveiled a draft of its strategic plan in September.

The draft lists the program's main goals as increasing protective
factors and decreasing risk factors, while also limiting access to and
availability of drugs.

Taryn Mack, a training and prevention specialist with Copper Country
Mental Health, is coordinator for the coalition. She said the biggest
target for change in the program is "for adults in the community to
look at their own behavior and what things they need to do."

For example, she said, children will be more likely to take up an
alternate form of recereation such as skiing if they have access to
equipment and are able to go with friends. Adults could be able to
organize trips and provide tutorials, she said.

"It's finding out what resources you have in your community, and
bringing those resources together," she said.

The problem of drug use has been a long-running and expensive one for
the area, Mack said, citing an estimated $10.6 million in expenses
stemming from loss of life, health-care costs, court proceedings and
law enforcement. Also, she said, drugs can often have greater
long-term damage when taken at a younger age.