By Mary O’KEEFE

The Crescenta Valley Drug and Alcohol Prevention Coalition held another in a series of sector partner meetings on Friday at Verdugo Hills Hospital. The purpose for the series is to build a network of support to help combat drugs and alcohol use by minors in Crescenta Valley.

Members from Alcohol Beverage Control, local community organizations, rehabilitation centers like the Phoenix House in Pasadena, community leaders and Glendale police and city officials joined the discussion of illegal drug use via prescription medication and marijuana use, as well as alcohol abuse.

The purpose of the meeting was to move forward with the CVDAPC Strategic Plan, which will help unite all those concerned with alcohol and drug abuse by teens, and younger.

The larger group divided into three separate smaller discussion groups, one for alcohol, one to discuss prescription medication and the third to tackle marijuana use.

In the marijuana group, a frank discussion was held comparing survey results and what was actually witnessed by those who work with teens. The overall feeling was that more education into the short and long term use of the drug was needed. There was a need to approach the problem differently when addressing adults than when speaking with kids.

The prescription drug group had several outreach ideas including using social media and DVD presentations to educate both adults and kids on the dangers of misusing prescription medication.

Scott Ochoa, Glendale city manager, was the guest speaker with Sgt. Tom Lorenz as the facilitator of the meeting.  Both mentioned how important the Coalition work has been.

Ochoa pointed out how advanced technology has affected the world the kids are growing up in.

“My kids are playing video games with kids from all over the world,” he said. “The world is a much smaller place but still it is just at easy for them to get lost in it.”

  Mary Okeefe