DRUG COALITION SEEKS ANSWERS TO MARIETTA WOES

Members of the Marietta community turned out in force Wednesday night for a
meeting of a new drug coalition designed to find solutions to the city's
increasing drug problem.

Nearly 60 people, including recovering drug addicts, recovery specialists,
city officials and concerned parents met at Washington State Community
College for a night of emotional questions and few answers about Marietta's
drug problems. "We don't have a mission statement or know exactly what we
want to do yet," said Geoff Brunton, who ran the meeting of the group,
called Turning Point. "We just know that the drug problem is something the
public needs to talk about and not turn their heads away as we've done in
this town for the past 20 or 30 years."

The group was formed about 10 weeks ago in response to several
heroin-related deaths in the area and will meet every other Wednesday in
WSCC's Community Room from 7-8:30 p.m.

Brunton said the attendance at Wednesdays meeting was up from about 15 or
20 people at previous meetings.

Those attending spoke about their personal experiences with drugs, whether
their own use or that of a relative or friend. Young recovering addicts
even gave advice to parents about how to spot drug use in their own children.

Washington County Chief Deputy Larry Mincks spoke about law enforcement's
role in a solution.

"The drug problem is a controlled problem," he said. "There is a supply and
there is a demand. We'll work on the supply, and we need (the community's)
help to cut down the demand."

Mincks said law enforcement officials often have difficulty convicting
those who use or sell drugs.

"My problem is obtaining enough evidence to successfully prosecute
someone," he said. "We need people to testify and say that this is the
person who sold me the drug."

Jamie, 21, a recovering drug addict, said she and others are often afraid
to come forward with information.

"You don't know how much I want to say this is who has it, this is how you
get it and this is where you get it," she said. "But I don't want my family
to be in jeopardy because of these people. It's not a game." Drug dealers
"will hurt you, they'll hurt your family and they'll hurt your friends."

Mincks said the Washington County Sheriff's Office is in the midst of
constructing a Web site where people can e-mail tips to officers using a
system in which the e-mail cannot be traced.

The sheriff's office also accepts anonymous tips over the phone.

They are also trying to create a drug-related task force, Mincks said.

He estimated that 90 percent of crimes in the county are caused by drug use.

"Most of our burglaries or other crimes are a result of drug addiction," he
said. "They're either people who are on drugs or people who are trying to
get money to buy more drugs."

Many at the meeting said they felt putting offenders behind bars wasn't the
solution.

The emphasis should be on rehabilitation facilities, said Marietta defense
attorney Rolf Baumgartel.

"There aren't enough treatment facilities in this area," he said. "There
aren't people who just deal drugs. Every dealer I've defended is just a
junkie who also sells drugs."

Possible courses of action discussed Wednesday to battle the drug problem
include having recovering addicts speak at area schools about the
consequences of drug use. The coalition is also planning the first Alcohol
and Drug Awareness Walk, for which there will be an organizational meeting
on Aug. 28 at 7 p.m. at Washington County Recovery Alternatives, 122 Putnam St.