DA: Prevention, law enforcement key in battling drug abuse

PEABODY-The scourge of drug abuse affecting the United States must be addressed through community-based awareness and prevention programs rather than solely by law enforcement, two national experts said Tuesday during Essex District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett’s annual policy breakfast.The two guest speakers were Arnie Moorin, national director of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) and deputy director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, and Peggy K. Quigg, director of the Division of Community Programs at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Both advocated for a change in strategy that would require viewing the nation’s drug problem as a public health issue. Their message was meant for police, prosecutors, probation officers, judges, school officials, politicians, mayors, town managers, drug treatment specialists and the staff of state agencies such as the Division of Youth Services and the Department of Children and Family Services.”What you do is every bit as important as the prosecution piece,” Blodgett told the packed room at the Peabody Marriott.Moorin, a former U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent, said the Office of National Drug Control Policy develops a strategy and a budget for how the nation will combat drug abuse. “We’re trying to change the conversation,” he said, noting the policy must include not only law enforcement but programs focused on prevention, treatment and recovery, an understanding of drug addiction and an attack on drug cartels.The latter situation is very much alive and threatening, said Moorin, noting Mexico recently experienced 12,000 murders linked to drugs, and that 10 percent of the victims were police officers or federal drug agents.The impact of drugs, particularly heroin and crack cocaine, is evident in big cities and small, he said, adding, “Heroin is associated with 25 percent of the violent and property crime in the region,” he said.According to Moorin, heroin use continues to rise. The drug remains plentiful and cheap, making it a favorite among urban gangs.Quigg, a certified substance abuse professional, said the national drug-fighting strategy “must move toward a public health approach” if it is to succeed. Many law enforcement officers are on board with that thinking, she said.Moorin agreed, explaining police officers for years have been unknowingly following this policy. “We never really thought about it. We just did it,” he said, using the example of taking children into custody for their own safety following a drug raid. “We take the children with us.”Getting control of addiction is also key to fighting societal drug problems, which is how the prevention and treatment programs come into play. Jail, it seems, is an ideal place to help drug addicts.”If you leave with it you are going to be back with it,” Moorin said. “The time to get their attention is when they are incarcerated.”Quigg said federal grants are available to communities that want to organize their resources and create a strategy to fight drug abuse at the local level. “Ultimately, all drug problems are local and can only be solved locally,” she said. “We’re changing community norms and getting communities involved. It’s not a law enforcement problem. That’s what this meeting here today is all about.”Blodgett introduced three new programs at the policy breakfast: The Truth About Drugs and Alcohol; Drugs 101: What Adults Need to Know; and Think.The first is a PowerPoint presentation designed to educate students about the serious impact drugs and alcohol can have in their lives. The second is also a PowerPoint presentation that informs parents and other adults about the issue of youth drug and alcohol use, including inhalants, prescription drugs and opiates. The third is simply a poster or bookmark that reminds students to “think” before sending information that could be posted on the Internet via e-mail, text message or instant message, since it may not necessarily be private and