Minnesota Institute of Public Health

Submitted by guest author Kevin Spading, Director, MN Prevention Resource Center.

Over the last year or so, I must admit, my heart has been heavy.

Last October, in St. Cloud, we welcomed the wonderful leadership of Jack Claypoole and the outstanding efforts of the Drug Free Communities grants to our conference. We learned about their effectiveness and their recipe for success in communities.

This year, we welcome Carol Falkowski, only in her second year and already making a big difference in being a voice for effective prevention and treatment in the state. On day two, we will hear from Dr. Timothy Condon of NIDA, the National Institute of Drug Abuse-a proven leader in helping bring critical research and materials to communities across the nation.

Let’s stop and ask why? 

It is because we want to prevent and alleviate the unnecessary pain and suffering that comes from the abuse and dependence of mood altering substances.

It is important to stop and ask “why.” Asking helps us remember what is the goal, and allows us to adjust our efforts so we are effective in reaching our goal.

We also understand that this problem is not at just the community level, nor the state or the federal level, it is an international issue.

Why is my heart heavy you ask?

I can’t help but think about this “Drug Free Communities” concept in light of the current events south of, and on, the border with Mexico.

Recently, drug cartels have “taken out” federal, state and community level anti-drug individuals (and their families) to the tune of over 7,000 individuals since January 2008 (Archibold, 2009). That is more than all U.S. service members killed in the entire Iraq war (Beaubien, February, 2009). In one incident, drug cartels lined up patients in a treatment center and shot them all (Beaubien, September, 2009).

My goal is not to belabor the tragic statistics but to ask ourselves to remember that our prevention, education, and treatment labor is interconnected to an appetite for mood altering substances and an industry that benefits from it.

Remember…as I often say, “Addiction loves silence”…speak out!

While I was the Director of Mental and Chemical Health services at CLUES, I intimately came to understand the challenges for individuals and families that do not live in “Drug Free Communities.” Not just in Mexico, but in Central and South America.

Next time you see a coalition leader – give them a hug. Next time you see a community educator or a chemical dependency counselor, thank them for their efforts. Next time you talk to your grant consultant at DHS – tell them “thanks.”

This month is “Recovery Month.”  Next month, on October 8^th and 9^th, is our statewide Prevention Conference (Program Sharing – www.emprc.org). Later that month is the state’s MARRCH Fall Conference (www.marrch.org).

In those conferences, you will have a chance to commend your colleagues in their efforts to build “Drug Free Communities.” Let’s take care of ourselves, commend each other for our tireless efforts, and keep our eye on the prize since we are all on the same team!

A hundred years from now, it won't matter what your bank account was, the sort of house you lived in, or the kind of car you drove, but the world may be different because you were important in the life of a child. 

~Author Unkown