Drug Awareness/Substance Abuse presentation hosted by NAIL sheds light on area prevention and enforcement efforts

by Bob Beach

Allamakee Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP) Coordinator Jean Bossom and Allamakee County Sheriff Clark Mellick were happy to accept an invitation from the New Albin Improvement League (NAIL) to give a presentation on drug and alcohol trends in Allamakee County Thursday, May 7 at the New Albin Community Center.
Bossom told the group that ASAP’s focus is on prevention, mostly focused on youth, because prevention efforts have proven to work. She said that every one dollar spent on prevention saves five dollars that would be spent on responding to drug and alcohol problems. She also cited a recent study that found that substance abuse costs the U.S. economy $600 billion annually, taking into account treatment, counseling, law enforcement, lost wages, lost productivity and costs to families.
Substance abuse prevention is most effective with younger children, Bossom said, because children who have been educated about alcohol before they’ve had their first drink have a better chance of delaying use until the legal age of 21. The age of 14 stands out as particularly important because that is the age that children begin driving. Bossom likened a program she recently conducted with all sixth graders in Allamakee County to a hunter safety course - teaching kids how to be safe and make responsible choices before getting behind the wheel of a car.
As important as early education is, Bossom stressed that the conversation can’t end with sixth graders and encouraged parents to continue the conversation, stressing that students who avoid alcohol until the age of 21 have a much better chance of leading successful, productive lives.
Bossom said that ASAP focuses primarily on preventing underage use of alcohol and tobacco because those substances are legal and widely available, adding that alcohol is very commonly the first drug kids will try. While most prevention efforts are focused on youth, Bossom said that she is willing to help anyone of any age with information or referrals.
Sheriff Mellick told the group that the substance abuse problems in northeast Iowa are no different than anywhere else in the country. He said that marijuana is by far the most prevalent and commonly encountered by law enforcement, attributing the drug’s popularity to the common perception that it is not a “bad drug.”
He warned, however, that marijuana is “a gateway drug,” saying that he had never talked with a user of methamphetamine who did not first use marijuana, adding that the drug is much more potent now than it was during the late 1960s. He also predicted that states that have legalized marijuana for recreational use would soon see the additional revenues generated by sales spent on treatment programs.
Mellick said that methamphetamine use is also widespread and troubling in terms of the drug’s impact on families and communities. He said that he has seen meth - man-made, toxic and addictive - tear apart lives in the community. Meth is also very commonly encountered by law enforcement, Mellick said, partly due to the ease with which it is manufactured using the “one-pot method,” and that while law enforcement is doing what it can, there’s still a lot of it out there.
Cocaine, crack, and synthetic and “club drugs” are less common, but still encountered by law enforcement in the area, Mellick said, adding that recreational use of prescription drugs is more common than many people think.
Erro, a German Shepherd purchased by the Sheriff’s Department within the past year, has been a great asset to the County, Mellick said. The dog, handled by Deputy Sheriff Stuart Bloxham, is certified in narcotics, tracking and handler protection, Mellick said, calling the dog the Sheriff’s Department’s “triple threat.” He said that the dog has proved particularly effective at locating illegal drugs during traffic stops, with a keen nose able to detect even very small amounts of drugs in vehicles.
Mellick said that the community can and does provide a lot of useful information to law enforcement. Reports of suspicious activity, for example, commonly lead to investigations, the issuance of warrants, and ultimately, arrests. He added, however, that sometimes that process can take quite a bit of time and that those who make such reports should not be discouraged when they don’t see immediate results.