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DPS steps up campaign against drug abuse among youth
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Posted on Dec 14 2011
The Department of Public Safety is working on ways to address the drug problem in the Commonwealth, which is already claiming victims among the youth, according to Commissioner Ray Mafnas.
Mafnas on Tuesday described abuse of drugs such as crystal methamphetamine hydrochloride or “ice” and other controlled substances as “a very serious issue” and a “community problem” in the CNMI.
“What it does is it hurts children and innocent people and destroys the very core of our American family,” said Mafnas.
According to him, drug abuse leads to other issues such as domestic violence cases.
He expressed particular alarm and concern that the problem has now reached schools.
He said there are new instructors and officers being trained for the Drug Abuse Resistance Education or DARE program of the DPS.
“What we are doing is we are certifying these individual young officers to become instructors. They go out to public schools and they teach our children about how to successfully counteract drugs,” said Mafnas.
According to him, there are a lot of new drugs being used by high school and college students across the nation, including ecstasy.
“I hope and pray that that drug doesn’t come in here into the Commonwealth, if it’s not already here,” said Mafnas. “We want to safeguard our community, our young children, so they don’t get dragged into that kind of environment.”
He said they are working on implementing a more rigorous screening process in CNMI borders so that drug traffickers will find it harder to bring in illegal drugs through incoming cargo.
Mafnas is counting on community involvement and participation in the fight against illegal drugs “so we can take care of our people and visitors.”
