BEC officials take pledge to end meth
Debra Jandreau Leader Editor
Box Elder County officials like County Attorney Stephen Hadfield, Tremonton Police Chief Dave Nance, and Your Community in Unity (YCU) Director Annette Macfarlane signed a pledge on Thursday to help end the abuse and affects of methamphetamines in the county. “This event helps brings this issue to forefront so something can be done about it,” Macfarlane said. “Everyone of us knows someone who has been affected by meth abuse. It is so pervasive in our society.” On May 21, Governor Huntsman kicked off a Salt Lake City Pledge event where he challenged local communities to hold their own Pledge activities. The End Meth Now Campaign, sponsored by Utah Methamphetamine Joint Task Force and the Utah Association of Counties, was launched in an effort to have thousands of Utahns - people in recovery, families, friends, public officials and community partners - demonstrate a commitment to ending meth use by taking the Pledge to End Meth Now. After the event, the Pledge banner will travel the state to similar events. Although unable to attend the pledge event on Thursday, Brigham City Mayor Lou Ann Christensen said, “Signing this pledge today proves our commitment as a community to stop the use of this deadly and destructive drug,” “The pledge signifies our promise to continue the dialogue and efforts needed within our communities to truly end meth now,” she added. The Pledge, which is printed on a traveling banner, reads: “As a proud citizen of Utah, I pledge to End Meth Now. I will openly discuss the pressing issue of meth with my fellow citizens and pledge that I will not use meth nor stand idly by when I suspect use among my friends, family members or other members of my community. Finally, I pledge to provide support for those seeking recovery so we can all enjoy a future free of meth.” Cheryl Anderson, a caseworker for the Cache County Drug Court, was present at the pledge signing and recounted her family’s personal tragedy with methamphetamine abuse. Her son began his abuse with meth at an early age. “My son started to sniff glue in the fifth or sixth grade and by high school he was abusing alcohol and marijuana. It went on from there,” she said. “When one of your children is using drugs, it can be devastating to the whole family. As a parent you never know where your child is, who he is with or even whether he is still alive.” “This stuff can kill you. It can kill your relationships and it needs to be stopped,” Anderson added. Bear River Health Department Division of Environmental Health Director Randy Wilde said methamphetamine abuse can affect those who don’t even know the person who is abusing. “Meth use leads to contamination as bad as you would find in a meth lab,” he said. “There are many innocent victims – a landlord, a tenet, a homebuyer…This pledge brings a message of hope to everyone affected.” Methamphetamine use has been a serious, ongoing issue throughout the state of Utah for several years. In fact, according to the Utah Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, meth was the top illicit drug of choice among all individuals admitted to public treatment programs in Fiscal Year 2007 comprising almost 29 percent of all treatment admissions. This is an astonishing 400 percent increase in admittance for methamphetamine use from 1995 to 2006. An online version is also available for citizens to sign at www.endmethnow.org.
CHERYL ANDERSON, caseworker for the Cache County Drug Court
