WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice today announced that it will sponsor National Methamphetamine Awareness Day on Nov. 30, 2006, in order to generate awareness about the damaging effects of meth abuse on individuals, families and American communities. Education and public outreach are at the heart of the national drug control strategy, and National Methamphetamine Awareness Day will play an important role in highlighting the nationwide efforts to increase awareness and decrease demand of this highly addictive and dangerous drug.
As part of National Methamphetamine Awareness Day, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales will host a national event with federal, state, local and community leaders to discuss the broader impact that meth production and use is having on our communities. Across the nation, U.S. Attorneys, along with state and local leaders, will coordinate a variety of educational events targeting their specific communities.
National Methamphetamine Awareness Day is a coordinated effort not only to reach potential meth users with a message of prevention, but also to educate current users about the programs available to them. In order to increase the impact of this message, the Department is partnering with a number of federal, state and local governments, as well as with private sector and non-profit entities, including: the U.S. Department of Labor; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; U.S. Department of Interior; Office of National Drug Control Policy; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Partnership for a Drug-Free America; Boys & Girls Clubs of America; Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America; Fraternal Order of Police; National District Attorneys Association; National Association of Attorneys General; Inter-Association Task Force on Alcohol and Other Substance Abuse Issues; American Council on Education; National Association of Student Personnel Administrators; American College Health Association; Association of Fraternity Advisors; and the National Panhellenic Conference.
As part of our ongoing effort to combat meth use, the Department of Justice created a model methamphetamine educational presentation that is available to the public to be used by law enforcement, community groups and local leaders in addressing meth use in their communities. The educational presentation is posted on the Department’s new meth Awareness Web site: http://www.usdoj.gov/methawareness.
For more information about National Methamphetamine Awareness Day and how to get involved in your community, contact the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs at 202-514-2007 or visit http://www.usdoj.gov/methawareness.
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