Community-Coalition On Drug Awareness
Educating Communities Through
Awareness-Acknowledgement-Action
A Shared Responsiblity
A Shared Responsibility...
During the past 40 years, I have been involved in drug enforcement as a law enforcement officer and drug prevention as an educator.
As a young police officer in Santa Ana, California, I patrolled neighborhoods that were suffering because of alcohol-and drug-related crime.
As a high school teacher in Irvine, California, I witnessed the devastating outcomes for students who abused drugs and for their families. For some, the outcome was lethal.
As a park ranger in Yellowstone National Park, I responded to numerous crashes because of drug-impaired driving.
In recent years, as the Montana Chairman of the Elks Drug Awareness Program, I have spoken to students, parents, community groups, and service organizations. At the start of my presentation, I always ask them to raise their hand if they personally know someone who has struggled with addiction.
Most of my audiences know someone with a substance use disorder, and many know someone who has lost or nearly lost a family member as a consequence of substance misuse.
After reading Facing Addiction In America, I have to agree with what Surgeon General Murthy said. “How we respond to this crisis is a test for America.”
I encourage each of you to consider the following strategies on prevention and enforcement from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA).
- The most effective prevention interventions include strategies that help individuals develop the intentions and skills to act in a healthy manner and ones that focus on creating environments that support healthy behavior.
- Effective enforcement requires visibility. People need to see that substance use prevention is a community priority and that violating related laws and regulations will result in consequences.
Protecting our children from harmful drugs and addiction that can be unrelenting is a shared responsibility that requires community-based prevention programs like the Elks Drug Awareness Program and effective enforcement.
Rick Gale Montana Chairman Elks Drug Awareness Program