STATE SEEKS TO CURB RISE IN DRUG ABUSE

Pence Forms Panel To Host Forums On Treatment, Enforcement, Prevention

In Kentucky, there were 300 meth labs seized in 2002 - up from 147 the year
before - and more than 378,000 marijuana plants were eradicated in 2002,
according to the Office of National Drug Control Policy. "The substance
abuse problem in our commonwealth affects all of us, and it isn't going
away," Gov. Ernie Fletcher said in a written statement. "Being tough on
these drug crimes isn't enough. We must move beyond that to being
effective." Local citizens may express their concerns on the matter to
three panels at the Drug-Control Policy Assessment Summit on Thursday at
the Sloan Convention Center from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The three panels -
dealing with the issues of drug treatment, enforcement and prevention
education - consist of state, local and federal representatives appointed
by Lt. Gov. Stephen Pence. There are 23 members on the enforcement panel,
which is co-chaired by Kentucky Attorney General Greg Stumbo and Cleve
Gambill, deputy secretary of the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet. There
are 16 members on the treatment panel, chaired by Karyn Hascal, acting
director of the Division of Substance Abuse, Department of Mental Health
and Mental Retardation. There are 17 members on the prevention-education
panel, chaired by Tim Eaton, superintendent of Pulaski County Schools. The
20-week initiative to visit 16 cities throughout Kentucky is a precursor to
the establishment of the state's first statewide drug-control policy.
According to the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, recommendations to
Fletcher by the appointed panel members, based on what they hear from
Kentuckians during the summits, will play a key role in the establishment
of the new drug-control policy. "We have assembled a stellar group of
people for this assessment," Pence said in a written statement. "They are
each knowledgeable in their field and are going to work to provide us with
the information we need to do something about the drug problem in our
commonwealth." The assessment is the first in Kentucky to bring together
officials in every area of drug abuse, and to examine the state's drug
abuse problem from the three angles. In addition to illegal drugs, the
Summit team will also discuss the use of inappropriate prescriptions,
alcohol and tobacco in Kentucky. Total cost of the project is $160,000,
funded by the Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, and money
seized during drug arrests by the Kentucky State Police and the Kentucky
Department of Vehicle Enforcement. "The regional summits provide an
opportunity for the public to make their concerns known about the problems
being faced in their communities," said Cmdr. Capt. Wayne Mayfield of
Kentucky State Police Post 3 . "With the limited resources given to combat
the drug problem, it is extremely important to know what the specific
problem is and where it's at before developing strategies to overcome it."