Meth 'tool kits' arm public with information.

Byline: David Steves The Register-Guard

CORRECTION (ran 8/24/2006): An article on Page C1 in Tuesday's Register-Guard did not fully portray Gov. Ted Kulongoski's approach to Oregon's meth problem. The article should have stated that Kulongoski believes efforts to toughen anti-meth laws and to increase police efforts to shut down labs and arrest distributors are important but aren't enough to solve the meth problem.

Anti-meth crusaders are hoping a new "tool kit" of information will raise the public's awareness of the drug and its problems.

The meth tool kit was unveiled Monday and will be available to service groups, educators and any other group or individual.

It is divided into two main sections. One is called a "community education tool" to help people learn more about methamphetamine. It includes ways to recognize when someone is using it, and lists services available to combat the drug's spread and provide treatment and recovery services to users and those who have been their victims, particularly children.

The other section is a "community action guide" to assist individuals and groups in reducing drug use in their communities.

Dr. Ron Schwerzler, director of medical services at Serenity Lane, said the tool kit was a welcome addition to Oregon's effort to combat meth. He said the information kits' highest use would be for service groups such as PTAs and Lions Clubs or professionals such as educators to use the materials to make presentations to their members or the public about meth. The kits' creators have scheduled a series of training sessions statewide in the coming weeks.

Policy-makers, law enforcement and those who come in direct contact with meth users and their victims are aware of the drug's problems: its highly addictive nature, the kinds of problems it wreaks on families, the dangers of meth labs and the crimes often undertaken by meth addicts to obtain the drug, Schwerzler said. But outside these groups, much work remains to get out the word about meth. He said too many people have yet to grasp the widespread nature of meth use and its web of social and criminal problems - which range from child abuse and neglect to identity theft.

`I think the mind-set is, `as long as it isn't in my neighborhood, I'm not going to worry about it,' ' Schwerzler said. "But your kids go to school with these people's kids. It's a problem everywhere, from small town to big cities."

Schwerzler is president of the Oregon Society of Addiction Medicine and serves on the Oregon Medical Association's Methamphetamine Task Force.

Gov. Ted Kulongoski unveiled the new program at a media event in Portland. He said efforts to toughen laws to address meth and increase police efforts to shut down labs and arrest distributors won't solve the meth problem.

"We must enlist our most effective assets in this effort: our people," Kulongoski said. "We must mobilize our community leaders to build drug-prevention coalitions that work to prevent kids from ever falling into the trap of methamphetamine use."

METH TOOL KIT The binder includes: Information about community resources, treatment and prevention List of prevention experts in each county "Community Action Guide" PowerPoint slide library on CD to let users customize presentations and help build coalitions in their community to fight meth use

TRAINING SESSIONS Find more information on www.orpartnership.org or www.targetmeth.com Portland: Aug. 31, Portland Community College-Sylvania Campus Albany: Sept. 14, Linn-Benton Community College Pendleton: Sept. 20, Blue Mountain Community College Bend: Sept. 29, Central Oregon Community College Medford: Oct. 6, Rogue Community College