LAWRENCE STEPS UP DRUG PREVENTION

LOUISA The Lawrence County School District has stepped up its efforts to
prevent and treat drug abuse in its schools.

The school district will now use a federally-funded full-time drug
counselor and drug-sniffing dogs to help quash drug activity.

Superintendent Jeff May said there is not a serious problem in the
district, but even one case of drug use among students is too many.

"We take this very seriously," May said. "The board has been very strict in
dealing with drug activity in the schools and we will continue to do so."

Operation UNITE will provide the school counselors in its 29-county
coverage area, including Lawrence. The counselors will try to intervene in
cases where students are using drugs and will work with students who have
problems because of substance abuse in their families.

Providing counselors is part of a $1.6 million education initiative by
UNITE. The plan also includes reimbursing school districts up to $2,000 to
pay for drug testing for employees and students, assessing how the schools
are providing anti-drug education and helping with improvements, training
teachers to incorporate drug-abuse prevention information into lessons, and
providing teaching materials if necessary.

May said education, especially of elementary school students, is the key to
preventing kids from experimenting with drugs.

UNITE stands for Unlawful Narcotics Investigation, Treatment and Education.
U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers, R-Somerset, got $8 million set aside early in 2003 to
create the program, and has since gotten an additional $16 million.

The program's goal is to increase drug investigations, provide more
treatment for addicts and boost anti-drug education efforts in Rogers'
district, where he and others have described the level of substance abuse
as epidemic.

The Lawrence school board also voted during its last meeting to set aside
money for drug-dog patrols.

The dogs will be brought into the schools occasionally and will also be on
duty at extracurricular activities such as ball games and dances, May explained.