Community’s Commitment to Fighting Substance Abuse Still Strong After 40 Years

“All the makings of a pot party were in evidence last Thursday as the pungent odor of marijuana permeated the halls of Hallowell School in an effort to acquaint PTA parents with the problems of drugs.”

The above quotation comes from a newspaper story written 40 years ago that was dug out of ’s archives by Principal Steve Glaize as he was preparing for his school’s 50th anniversary celebration. He brought the article to a recent “Be a Part of the Conversation” task force meeting held in , and many of us sitting in the room were struck by the similarities of what parents were dealing with back in 1971 when the article was published and what they are dealing with today.

According to the article, Horsham parents, police and community members had joined together at Hallowell back then to discuss drug abuse in the community and how to combat it. Just as we are hearing today, the young people in the audience claimed that there is nowhere for young people to gather away from school and that this factor contributed to drug use. Law enforcement officials who organized the meeting “felt that parents could help to prevent drug problems through communication on an adult level, which involved 80 percent listening; love, involvement of children in family activities; and self-education as to the drugs themselves.”

One could be disheartened that 40 years later we are still talking about the same things. But we prefer to take comfort in the fact that people in the Hatboro-Horsham community are still trying to do what’s right for kids. While the answers may not have surfaced yet, it is clear the community has a deep-rooted commitment to the health and welfare of its children and that it is willing to talk about the tough issues.

That commitment will be evident again on Oct. 11, when the first public event of the “Be a Part of the Conversation” initiative will take place, starting at 6:30 p.m. in the , 1025 Horsham Road. Community members are being invited to listen as Dr. Ken Thompson, medical director for the Caron Treatment Center in Wernersville, speaks about addiction and its risk factors. But we also want those same community members to have a say in the night’s proceedings. That’s why during the second half of the gathering, participants will be able to break up into smaller groups to discuss issues related to substance abuse. These groups will be led by trained facilitators who may be school district employees, students or community volunteers. The facilitators will summarize what their groups have discussed and share that with the larger group. The feedback will help drive the work of the “Be a Part of the Conversation” initiative in the months ahead.

If can't join us Oct. 11, we invite you to submit your ideas in writing for consideration and possible publication via this blog. We would love to know what your thoughts are on the best ways to combat drug and alcohol use in the community, or how you’ve addressed or dealt with substance abuse in your own life. Feel free to reach out to us by emailing jesstet@comsolutionsgroup.com.