SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION WORKSHOP SET

Community members will meet Wednesday, Jan. 28 from 10 a.m. to noon in
Carthage for a Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition workshop.

Drug Free Moore County, Inc. is sponsoring the workshop for elected and
church leaders, parents, justice system and law enforcement, social
services, school and health representatives.

The meeting is at the Agriculture Center.

The Coalition has five committees. Each is working on strategies to raise
awareness about substance abuse. The Coalition's goals include working
together to help prevent young people from becoming users, and to help
people who are already users.

Public health research has found a link between people who smoke, drink
alcohol and use drugs during high school and those who are still using them
at age 35. By the time these high-school age people are in their mid-30s, a
higher percentage also tend to abuse drugs and alcohol. They also tend to
use cocaine and misuse prescription drugs, a news release says.

"This type of information, coupled with what we see in our own county has
caused members of our community to become all the more determined to work
together to protect our young people from experimentation," says June
Vetter, executive director of Drug Free Moore County. "Experimentation all
too often leads to a lifelong struggle with addiction.

"Members of the coalition are working from different angles toward one
goal: to make our community drug free. Some say it is impossible, but for
the safety of our community, we will continue to strive toward reaching
it," she said.

Drug Free Moore County, Inc. is an 11-year-old, independent non-profit
agency. The organization recently voted to partner with National Families
in Action through Parent Corps, a presidential initiative. The organization
aims to improve the state's capacity to prevent illicit drug use by
children and youth by recruiting and training parent leaders. These
leaders' task is to partner with other parents and caregivers for prevention.