Parents learn ‘The Truth’ about drugs

New Prague High School hosted a drug education program, "Know the Truth," for parents Monday, Feb. 6, in the high school auditorium.

Chris Hirdler, Chemical Health Counselor at New Prague and Jordan high schools, organized the program, which featured, speakers from Know the Truth, Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge, Scott County Sheriff Luke Hennen and Jason Arras from the Southwest Metro Drug Task Force.

Hirdler welcomed the approximately 200 people attending with background on the Know the Truth Progam. Since starting in September, 2006, it has worked with 155 Metropolitan Area schools and more than 55,000 students.

Hennen was the first speaker. he talked about why this type of meeting is important.

"We can make new laws, we can put more cops in the street, but the most important piece in preventing drug abuse is parent communication," he said. He talked about the "Choose Not to Use" initiative in Scott County and the "Take it to the Box" program, which he said plays a very important role in preventing drug abuse. He explained that one of the gateways to drug abuse is prescription drugs, and unused prescription drugs laying around the house can make it easy for teens to acquire drugs. That is why most communities in the county have a drop box where people can dispose of unneeded and expired medications.

Arras talked about the kinds of drugs that are prevalent and some facts about drugs in the area. He expounded on Hennen’s comment about prescription drugs.

"Heroin is a big problem, and 80 to 81 percent of heroin addicts are introduced to the drug through prescription pills," he said.

He talked about the Southwest Metro Drug Task Force, which includes officers from McLeod, Carver and Scott counties, as well as various police departments in the area. In 2015, the task force had 272 investigations leading to 150 arrests and the confiscation of $536,000 of drugs based on street value.

He said the four biggest drugs being used are..........

To find out more on this story pick up the February 9, 2017 print edition of The New Prague Times.