State Leaders Plan In-School Drug Prevention Efforts

by Jo Ingles

State legislative, education and health leaders are part of a coalition that is looking at how to put in place a new drug abuse prevention strategy in Ohio’s schools. 

Attorney General Mike DeWine says there is a moral imperative for the state to do everything within its power to help prevent Ohio’s children from abusing drugs. That’s why he wants this working group to assess how effective current drug abuse prevention efforts are, and come up with a program to be implemented in the state’s schools across all grade levels.

“It is the worst drug epidemic in my lifetime. It is pervasive. It is everywhere. It is in all 88 counties. It is among every social group, every economic group.”

DeWine says the solution will involve changing the culture that makes drug abuse acceptable. The hope is this working group will come up with recommendations in time to get the program in place for next school year.