Tim Robison
Moapa Valley Progress
At the Moapa Valley Town Advisory Board heard a report from Bruce Whitney, President of the Community for Substance Abuse Wellness (CSAW), at a meeting held Wednesday, January 30. Whitney began his report by explaining how CSAW is organized as a 501(c) 3 non-profit corporation with a ten-member board of directors. The purpose of the organization, as Whitney explained, was to get the word to the community regarding the dangers of drug use with special concern about the use of methamphetamines.
To bring this important message to the community CSAW has established a web site at www.mvcsaw.com, sponsored a float in the Veterans Day Parade, held assemblies at the local schools and in the community, and built association with groups fighting methamphetamines all over Clark County.
As part of their outreach to the schools CSAW, in conjunction with Metro Police Department sponsored the Every Fifteen Minutes Program. This program is where Metro comes and stages a fatal accident for the students. The officers helping with the role-play bring a 911 tape recording of an accident and stage the accident accurately to give the students the full effect.
Whitney explained his attendance at the Joint Legislative Subcommittee organized to deal with the methamphetamines problem in the State. Part of the work of the committee, according to Whitney, is the organization of the Crystal Darkness Program, a statewide group that is working to prevent people of all ages from trying methamphetamines for the first time. The Crystal Darkness Program in conjunction with other like-minded groups in the County spread the message to schools and adult forums of the danger of using methamphetamines even once. According to CSAW statistics, Nevada ranks number one in the country for methamphetamine use.
“People need to be reminded,” Whitney said, “that 50 percent of meth users will be addicted the first time they use the drug. 75 percent will be addicted after their second use.”
