Prevention and education are the ultimate keys to reversing the upward trend of drug abuse in our society. Central to this effort is the development and implementation of initiatives to prevent illicit drug use, including casual use by our youth and other high-risk populations. The most effective strategies for preventing drug use - keeping drugs out of neighborhoods and schools and providing a safe and secure environment for all people - are cooperative efforts that mobilize and involve all elements of a community. Schools, churches, community groups, and law enforcement all can help us turn the tide on drug and alcohol abuse, but none can take a parent's place. Drug education must begin at home. We must provide a disciplined environment conducive to learning for our children. We recognize that our schools, our workplaces, and our communities cannot be places where education comes first unless and until they are drug free. Drug addiction is a disease, and anyone suffering from a disease needs treatment. Many chronic drug users and addicts also are criminals who violate the rights of others in our society. In these instances, a balance must be achieved between sanctions for criminal activity and treatment of an addictive disease. There is compelling evidence that treatment is cost-effective in the long run, and provides significant public safety benefits by breaking the cycle of drug use and crime. However, criminal acts must be punished, and tough sanctions often are needed to compel drug-addicted criminals to stop using drugs and committing crimes. Crimes committed while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, including murder, rape, and battery as well as DUI, represent a serious threat to our safety. Crimes committed to obtain the money necessary to support drug habits or to pay drug debts, including burglary, robbery and theft, are never-ending. Drugs subject our children, our families, and our communities to pressures unheard of a generation ago. The great myth that the personal use of drugs is OK has survived and flourished in the past 25 years. As community leaders, it must be our goal to reverse this frightening trend. It is important to remember that these problems and issues cannot be addressed in a vacuum. The death penalty for first time offenders and a policeman on every corner will not solve the problem. Prevention, education and treatment are at least of equal importance. Short-term law enforcement "fixes" are just that - short-term. We do not need new statutes which call for greater punishments for drug-related crimes. Indiana already has some of the most severe penalties in the nation. On the other hand, deterrence can have very little meaning if all those convicted are merely placed on probation and given "treatment." If it were that easy, we would not have a problem. We must recognize that it is essential that we combat this problem on all fronts, looking for long-range solutions instead of short-term fixes. We must emphasize education and treatment as well as aggressive law enforcement. The old saying "you can pay me now, or you can pay me later" is true. If we don't spend the time now, we will all pay later. Vanderburgh County Felony Drug Filings: 1992 - 188 1993 - 186 1994 - 232 1995 - 534 1996 - 595 1997 - 398 1998 - 462 1999 - 694 2000 - 517 2001 - 556 2002 - 1049 2003 - 833 2004 - 853 2005 - 906 Methamphetamine labs discovered in Vanderburgh County: 1998 - 3 1999 - 33 2000 - 55 2001 - 60 2002 - 121 2003 - 96 2004 - 74 2005 - 43 Drug Lab Warning Signs: The Vanderburgh County Sheriff's Department will tell you what to look for. Click here. Contact Dan Miller at 812-435-5150 for more information.