AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION IN DRUG WAR

The Vermilion River Regional Healthy Communities Coalition Is
Weighing In On The War On Drugs.

Coalition chairman, and county reeve, Don Whittaker said the
communities in the county of Vermilion River are working closely to
address the issue of substance abuse and have brought in Sgt. Ian
Sanderson to speak about crystal methamphetamine and other drugs and
the effects on families, communities, workplaces and provincial strategies.

"Our goal is to create awareness and prevention among families and
the community," Whittaker said. "We know there is a problem out
there. We want to measure where we are at and deal with it."

Sanderson worked with the RCMP for 26 years in northern Alberta in
positions such as drug prevention education, media relations,
detachment policing and forensic identification.

More recently, he joined the Edmonton Drug Awareness Service in July
2002. He is in charge of drug prevention education, awareness
programs and prevention research and strategies for northern Alberta.

Sanderson has studied and spoken about the methamphetamine issue in
Canada and the United States.

Area manager of the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission, Kurt
Kimball will also be speaking.

The municipalities in the region, which started meeting one year ago,
are aiming at having safe and drug free communities.