Red Ribbon Week to raise drug awareness

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Joel Mease
  • 7th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Tx --  Through Oct. 23 - 31, the Dyess Drug Demand Reduction program will bring drug awareness during Red Ribbon Week. 

While Abilene is a very safe town to raise a family, it still is a city of over 100,000 that has its element of crime and drugs, said Theodis Talbert, Dyess Drug Demand Reduction Program manager. 

"Our target audience, which includes active duty members and their families, retirees, and other military related personnel that work here," Mr. Talbert said. "While we can focus our attention on military members easier through random drug testing and other deterrence measures, it can be harder to deter drug use with non-military members because they are not bound by the same rules as those who are in the military." 

Those family members are still a very important to the base community and the drug reduction program takes an active roll in trying to prevent them from substance abuse, Mr. Talbert said. 

"Parents can be the most effective tool in deterring children from using drugs." Mr. Talbert said. "It's never too early to talk about drugs. Many parents make the mistake of saying their child wouldn't take drugs, but many younger kids are curious and don't know what they are doing can be very dangerous." 

One step parents can do is to keep prescription drugs out of the reach of children, and tell them that medicine is only to be taken when given by the parents, Mr. Talbert said. 

"Prescription drugs are in the top five of the most abused drugs in America," he said.  "Even well meaning adults can fall into the pitfall of substance abuse if they don't follow the directions given by the doctors. Many medicines that are pain killers like codeine, can be very addictive." 

Another drug parents need to be aware of is the readily availability of marijuana and methamphetamines (meth), Mr. Talbert said. 

"Because Abilene is located on the interstate and has a highway system that runs north and south, it makes the city a perfect distribution point for drugs," he said. 

During Red Ribbon Week, Mr. Talbert plans to raise awareness that while Abilene doesn't have a rampant drug problem it still exists. 

"One of the ways I thought of to raise awareness of drugs is by racing locally," Mr. Talbert said. "Like NASCAR I advertise on my car, but with a different message 'say no to drugs'. During the week the car will be on display at different locations on base and downtown with information about drug abuse."