DRUG COALITION RECEIVES SUPPORT

Marietta City Council Thursday agreed to issue a resolution of support for
the recently developed drug coalition in town.

This was made at the request of Councilman Cathy Harper at a police and
fire committee meeting. Mayor Joe Matthews also agreed to issue a
proclamation supporting "Turning Point," the newly acquired name for the
drug coalition agreed upon at its last meeting Aug. 21 at Washington State
Community College.

Increasing support for fighting the effects of addicting drugs in Marietta
has slowly been brought together, but now looks to be gaining firm ground
with support from the legislative and administrative branches of city
government.

"With the official support from the city, 'Turning Point' will be much more
successful in our attempt to apply for various grants," Harper said. "One
of our goals as a group is the development of a half-way house and the
increased availability of addiction treatment methods."

Harper's request, which came in the form of a concerned citizen rather than
a councilman, said the support of the city would lend the group credibility.

"We have become far more than just a support group," she said.

All members of council unanimously agreed to give the OK for the legislation.

The newly named drug coalition in Marietta has been meeting for 8-10 weeks
with nearly 70 members attending the last meeting.

Marietta's citizens are not the only ones who have noticed the increase
locally of opiates, physically addictive drugs, ie. heroin, oxycontin,
cocaine, alcohol, sedatives, percocet, etc. The courts have noticed the
problem as well.

Marietta Municipal Court Judge Milt Nuzum has seen the growing problem and
is attempting to do something about it. Nuzum applied in early summer for a
grant to assist in creating a drug court at the municipal level. He expects
to hear a response by mid-to late- September.

"It is not a different court, but a different way of handling drug-related
cases," Nuzum said in an interview. "With a drug court, a person who is
arrested for a drug offense is assessed within 48 hours of the arrest and
treated at that time."

Nuzum said it is required that the person plead guilty to the charge and is
placed on probation, receive counseling and detoxification.

"If the program is completed successfully, the carrot is that the charges
could ultimately be dismissed, but if they don't abide by the set
conditions they are put in jail," Nuzum said. "There is a much higher
success rate than just sending these people to jail in the first place."