Articles 

:: For parents, a teachable moment - Anti-drug drive - A TV documentary can help open a dialogue with kids, experts say

Thursday, September 20, 2007
MAYA BLACKMUN
The Oregonian

A good opportunity for families to learn and talk about the dangers of methamphetamine use will soon come through TV screens, and area experts have advice on how to make the most of the conversation.

TV stations in the Portland area will show "Crystal Darkness," a 30-minute documentary on the dangers of meth, in a couple of weeks thanks to the efforts of Randy Glanz of Tualatin and Jim White, Portland Crystal Darkness campaign director, to bring the information campaign from Nevada.

Click here to read the entire article.

:: Meth Legislation is Justified
Some people express frustration about Oregon's law that made pseudoephedrine a prescription drug. They question whether the law has worked. The answer is "yes," and here is the proof.

The results are clear. According to a federal study published last November, Oregon has experienced the largest reduction in local toxic meth labs in the nation. Meth-lab incidents in Oregon have declined by 94 percent, and most of the remaining incidents are discoveries of old dump sites. We have therefore nearly eliminated meth labs in Oregon.

Click here to read the rest of the article

The toolkit includes a training PowerPoint slide library that allows users to customize presentations and a step-by-step Community Action Guide.

Click here to read the rest of the article

:: BEER TAX IMPACT - The Effects of Beer Tax on Underage Drinking
"We focus on beer taxes because they are dramatically lower than other alcohol taxes in almost every state, and because cheap beer is the drink of choice for underage drinkers. We believe it is important for states to review their alcohol taxes. Their revenue and deterrent value has declined dramatically because they are rarely adjusted for inflation. For example, the beer tax in Massachusetts was set at 11 cents a gallon in 1976. In 2006, this is the equivalent of 3 cents a gallon, not enough to buy much treatment or deter many teens."  - (Source: Blueprint for the States. JoinTogether, 2006, pdf page 21

5 states with the highest beer tax:
Average tax: 70 cents per gallon (about 7 cents per drink)
Percent of 18-20 year olds who binge drink: 17.3

5 states with the lowest beer tax (Oregon is one of these):
Average tax: 6 cents (about 0.6 cents per drink)
Percent of 18-20 year olds who binge drink: 31.8

Source: Factbook on State Beer Taxes, CSPI, pdf page 15.

:: New Report Reveals: Underage Drinkers, Alcoholics and Alcohol Abusers Consume Between 37.5 and 48.8 Percent of Alcohol Sold
Underage drinkers and adult pathological drinkers (those that meet the clinical DSM­-IV criteria for alcohol abuse or addiction) consume between 37.5 percent and 48.8 percent of the value of all alcohol sold in the United States, according to an article in the May 1 issue of the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine (APAM). 

This groundbreaking study, The Commercial Value of Underage Drinking and Adult Abusive and Dependent Drinking to the Alcohol Industry, conducted by researchers at The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University, finds that underage drinkers and adult pathological drinkers account for at least $48.3 billion and as much as $62.9 billion in alcohol sales in 2001, the last year for which the necessary data were available.  

Click here to read the rest of the article.

Click here to read the entire report.

:: FDA Rejects Uses of Marijuana for Medical Purposes
The Food and Drug Administration said Thursday that it does not support the use of marijuana for medical purposes.

The FDA said in a statement that it and other agencies with the Health and Human Services Department had "concluded that no sound scientific studies supported medical use of marijuana for treatment in the United States, and no animal or human data supported the safety or efficacy of marijuana for general medical use."

Read the rest of the article...

:: FBI Honors Founder of Anti-Drug Crime Group

The founder and leader of a Welches-area community safety group was recognized for her community work and anti-drug crime efforts last week.

Shirley Morgan, 58, who founded the Mount Hood Coalition Against Drug Crime seven years ago, received the FBI director's Award for Community Leadership from Special Agent-in-charge Robert Jordan of the FBI's Portland office.

The coalition has 85 members, most of whom maintain anonymity for fear of retribution from local crime suspects, whose pictures they post on the group's Web site and whose arrest warrants they distribute.

The Mount Hood Coalition is active in Sandy, Brightwood, Wemme, Welches, Zigzag, Rhododendron and Government Camp, FBI officials said.