It’s been years since I’ve ventured to Tillamook County (and there ain’t no ocean near the city limits cause it’s inland) but on Monday and Tuesday of this week, OP’s Danny Slifman and I conducted several trainings on OP’s “Target Meth” Drug Prevention Tool Kits.
Folks involved in community issues showed up and got the latest on what’s going on with meth prevention, education and treatment. Danny – who helped author the tool kits – was a wealth of information, including how to set up power point presentations so that the workshop participants could then teach others in their community.
The major development since the last time Danny did these trainings is how the meth labs have virtually disappeared from the state because of the legislation requiring pseudophedrine to be sold by prescription only. That’s not to say the meth problem has disappeared…but at least the dangerous labs are outa here.
On another prevention note, Tillamook County’s drug prevention coordinator, Suzie Johnson, told us that the county has a big underage drinking problem, higher than the state average. In towns such as Rockaway Beach, Netarts, Pacific City and Oceanside, it’s easy to see why: Not a whole lot for teens to do, except doing what a lot of their parents did when they were their age – drink and getting drunk.
Changing the culture and letting folks know about the physical effects on young brains – that’s the key.
I handled the “Working With the Media” segment, which was enlightening because the relationships some of these nonprofits and government agencies have with the two local newspapers and the two local radio stations seems to be positive. And hey, the radio stations don’t charge for PSAs. Reminded me of the old days in Portland.
Pete Schulberg
Posted by OPblog 
