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News
Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 7, 2003
Contact: DEA S/A David Jacobson at (313) 234-4220
Methamphetamine
Summit Held at Ohio State University
AUG 7-Marion,
Ohio- On July 15th and 16th, the State of Ohio Methamphetamine Summit
was held at the Ohio State University Marion Campus. The Summit was sponsored
by the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), Drug Enforcement Administration
(DEA), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA),
and the National Crime Prevention Council. The event was hosted by Attorney
General for the State of Ohio Jim Petro.
The summit attendees
represented all segments of public service that could be involved in a
proactive manner to help reduce methamphetamine use or assist victims
of methamphetamine production and distribution. The conference stressed
multiplying resources by putting law enforcement, child protective services,
education and prevention professionals in touch with each other to reduce
barriers and communication gaps allowing the successes of the recent past
to act as a catalyst for continued progress in the fight against methamphetamine.
While Ohio has seen a marked increase in methamphetamine activity in the
last several years, statewide education and training have led to a significantly
higher awareness of the problem. Assistance from the agricultural community,
child protective services and medical first responders has helped spare
Ohio the devastation that has been inflicted upon other Midwest states.
Nearly 250 participants
heard from presenters who shared experiences of what they have seen work
so that Ohio can expand their methamphetamine strategy to attack the problem
in the coming years. The summit specifically sought to include citizen
assistance to:
- Establish a sufficient
number of regional groups to promote and facilitate the development
of community based anti-methamphetamine action teams within the state
- Establish a statewide
communications network and technical support mechanism for the community
action teams
- Raise the awareness
level of the dangers of methamphetamine production, sales and use
- Facilitate the
creation of a statewide comprehensive strategic plan that mobilizes
resources to prevent and reduce the spread of methamphetamine production
and use in Ohio
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