"City of Los Angeles Council Proclaims 2009 As Meth Awareness Year"
Community activists and city leaders hope a yearlong awareness campaign will help reduce meth usage
Community activists and city leaders hope a yearlong awareness campaign will help reduce meth usage
Los Angeles, CA Council members Jose Huizar and Bill Rosendahl presented a city resolution, seconded by Council members Ed P. Reyes and Bernard C. Parks recognizing 2009 as meth awareness year for the City of Los Angeles. Los Angeles is the first city in the County to take such action in order to generate greater awareness about the rising methamphetamine use problem facing many communities throughout the county. The addictive stimulant drug has become primary reason for people's admittance into substance abuse treatment facilities in Los Angeles. HIV/AIDS, mental health and law enforcement agencies have also reported increased encounters with meth-influenced individuals.
The resolution calls for local officials to encourage and support education for service providers on promising practices in prevention and treatment, as well as active local collaboration with existing anti-methamphetamine efforts by county programs and community-based organizations to address the growing methamphetamine problem in the city, county and state. The resolution is being recorded as the first of its kind for the city of Los Angeles that calls for a yearlong commitment to awareness on a social or health issue rather than the usual one day, week or month time periods given for such causes.
The resolution was presented to the Greater East Los Angeles Meth Task Force. The task force whose members consist of service providers, schools, and community residents from the greater East Los Angeles region brought the proposed yearlong awareness campaign to city officials in hopes of building support for their meth prevention efforts. "Meth abuse can only be challenged if we can successfully form an alliance between the government and the community. We all need to have a role in fighting this epidemic," said Eddie Martinez, associate director of The Wall Las Memorias and member of task force. Martinez further states "Along with community members, elected officials need to be advocates if we are to turn the tide against meth". The Greater East LA task force is in its first year of existence and has made a commitment to engage in community mobilization to prevent the use of crystal meth by targeting youth and families.
"Methamphetamine is a drug that destroys lives," said Los Angeles City Councilmember JosHuizar. "It is a factor in 80 percent of the state's child neglect and endangerment cases. It crosses all racial and sexual-orientation lines. We have to do more to make the public aware of this dangerous drug"". In 2003, the Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring program (ADAM) found the number of arrestees in Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, and San Jose, who tested positive for methamphetamine use increased by 46.3 percent from 2000.
Meth has also led to an increase of new HIV infections in Los Angeles, especially among gay and bisexual men. Methamphetamine emerged as a party drug for gay and bisexual me during the 1990s, and it is attributed with lowering inhibitions and contributing to the spread of HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C, and other sexually transmitted diseases. "Unless we successfully address the explosion of meth use, we will not successfully stem the tide of HIV in some of our most highly impacted communities," said Stephen David Simon, the City of Los Angeles AIDS Coordinator.
Methamphetamine has also affected other at risk groups, including youth and women. Methamphetamine is the primary drug of abuse for 53 percent of Asian Pacific Islander women, 48 percent of Latinas, and 46 percent of Caucasian women who are admitted to treatment.
The Greater East Los Angeles Meth Task Force, in the first year of their two year funded project by the County of Los Angeles, will be outreaching to numerous cities within the county to seek the support of local elected officials. They also plan to host various community events and trainings throughout year along with internet youth outreach via social networking sites.
For more information on the task force or to seek information on community resources on meth please contact The Wall Las Memorias Project at 323-257-1056 ext. 25
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Community activists and city leaders hope a yearlong awareness campaign will help reduce meth usage
Los Angeles, CA Council members Jose Huizar and Bill Rosendahl presented a city resolution, seconded by Council members Ed P. Reyes and Bernard C. Parks recognizing 2009 as meth awareness year for the City of Los Angeles. Los Angeles is the first city in the County to take such action in order to generate greater awareness about the rising methamphetamine use problem facing many communities throughout the county. The addictive stimulant drug has become primary reason for people's admittance into substance abuse treatment facilities in Los Angeles. HIV/AIDS, mental health and law enforcement agencies have also reported increased encounters with meth-influenced individuals.
The resolution calls for local officials to encourage and support education for service providers on promising practices in prevention and treatment, as well as active local collaboration with existing anti-methamphetamine efforts by county programs and community-based organizations to address the growing methamphetamine problem in the city, county and state. The resolution is being recorded as the first of its kind for the city of Los Angeles that calls for a yearlong commitment to awareness on a social or health issue rather than the usual one day, week or month time periods given for such causes.
The resolution was presented to the Greater East Los Angeles Meth Task Force. The task force whose members consist of service providers, schools, and community residents from the greater East Los Angeles region brought the proposed yearlong awareness campaign to city officials in hopes of building support for their meth prevention efforts. "Meth abuse can only be challenged if we can successfully form an alliance between the government and the community. We all need to have a role in fighting this epidemic," said Eddie Martinez, associate director of The Wall Las Memorias and member of task force. Martinez further states "Along with community members, elected officials need to be advocates if we are to turn the tide against meth". The Greater East LA task force is in its first year of existence and has made a commitment to engage in community mobilization to prevent the use of crystal meth by targeting youth and families.
"Methamphetamine is a drug that destroys lives," said Los Angeles City Councilmember JosHuizar. "It is a factor in 80 percent of the state's child neglect and endangerment cases. It crosses all racial and sexual-orientation lines. We have to do more to make the public aware of this dangerous drug"". In 2003, the Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring program (ADAM) found the number of arrestees in Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, and San Jose, who tested positive for methamphetamine use increased by 46.3 percent from 2000.
Meth has also led to an increase of new HIV infections in Los Angeles, especially among gay and bisexual men. Methamphetamine emerged as a party drug for gay and bisexual me during the 1990s, and it is attributed with lowering inhibitions and contributing to the spread of HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C, and other sexually transmitted diseases. "Unless we successfully address the explosion of meth use, we will not successfully stem the tide of HIV in some of our most highly impacted communities," said Stephen David Simon, the City of Los Angeles AIDS Coordinator.
Methamphetamine has also affected other at risk groups, including youth and women. Methamphetamine is the primary drug of abuse for 53 percent of Asian Pacific Islander women, 48 percent of Latinas, and 46 percent of Caucasian women who are admitted to treatment.
The Greater East Los Angeles Meth Task Force, in the first year of their two year funded project by the County of Los Angeles, will be outreaching to numerous cities within the county to seek the support of local elected officials. They also plan to host various community events and trainings throughout year along with internet youth outreach via social networking sites.
For more information on the task force or to seek information on community resources on meth please contact The Wall Las Memorias Project at 323-257-1056 ext. 25
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