Call to action regarding youth substance abuse

On Sept. 30 people in the Valley are asked to attend a meeting of the Mat-Su Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition to figure out how to quell drug, alcohol and tobacco use among teens here.

A study done in 2008 reveals severe problems with young people and substance abuse. The report is more than 100 pages and while it is sometimes bureaucratese reading, some of the charts and figures will astound.

The study included seventh-, ninth- and 11th-graders because it was determined these ages were critical junctures in the lives of children.

Just a look at the Frontiersman trooper and police blotters and court documents reveal a wide-ranging abuse of drugs in the Valley. Granted, most of them are adults, but they got started sometime before. The meeting hopes to start looking for solutions to nip the crisis in the bud.

The recent case of a local man being shot while trying to break into a home with a marijuana grow operation points out that drug abuse isn’t just a health danger. Addicts need to get their fixes and bad trouble often follows that path. Now a young woman is facing charges. The man, in his 50s, who had the dope set-up had a weapon. That can mean federal charges. And, of course, one man is dead.

Burglaries are everywhere these days and they’re commonly drug-related.

It’s not all just dope and meth and cocaine and heroin.

Kids who learn to drink at a young age become problems the longer they drink. It’s not just a health issue for them as they age, but too many of us have seen the fatal results of car accidents when one or both drivers are drunk.

Tobacco use, smokeless or otherwise, has been proven to be a killer. And expensive, as the taxes continue to go up. A pack-a-day smoker can expect to spend about $2,500 over the course of a year. Pack-and-a-half will approach $4,000.

The cost to society for alcohol and drug abuse is incalculable.

The meeting runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Not great hours for working people, but anybody who can attend will be welcome. Ideas and suggestions will help start the work.

Keeping children straight is a lot easier than trying to get them straight later.