JONES' INFORMATION SERIES TO COMBAT ILLEGAL DRUGS

TRENTON -- Former Maysville police chief and veteran officer Shawn Williams
has seen the tragedy and destruction that illegal drugs have left in their
wake.

Williams, who describes himself as the chief of the Jones County Schools
Special Police, is excited about a drug information and awareness program
scheduled at the Jones County Civic Center at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

The workshop, called The Rave Phenomenon, is sponsored by the Jones County
Safe and Drug Free Schools in cooperation with DARE, the Drug Abuse
Resistance Education program.

"It is no secret that our youth of today are still choosing to take drugs,"
Williams said. "It is a decision they have made using a variety of excuses,
such as boredom, peer pressure, problems at home or at school."

The speaker for the event is Martin County Sheriff's detective Mark
Middleton of Stuart, Fla.

Williams said Middleton is "well-known throughout the Southeast as a drug
education specialist. He works well with young people."

Middleton, Williams said, is expected to speak about club drugs, such as
ecstasy.

"Club drugs have been around for a long time," Williams said. "The youth in
our community have easy access to these drugs. Who would have thought that
simple household products such as vapor rubs and inhalers, pacifiers,
Visine, cough syrup, bags of candy or bottles of bubbles could be linked to
the use of illicit drugs."

Other topics Middleton is expected to address include alerting parents to
signs of possible drug use by their children.

Middleton will conduct a workshop earlier in the day for teachers and law
enforcement officers. Portions of college credit hours can be earned by
those attending the earlier session from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

"Most have heard of marijuana, cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine. These
substances are part of our economic structure as well as our culture,"
Williams said. "Our youth have no fear of these drugs because most believe
they are invincible and nothing can harm them."

He said the program at the civic center is free, and the public is invited.