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Crystal Darkness attendance tops 300 |
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Thursday, 15 January 2009 |
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PDN photo by David Deaton 
PANELISTS: From left (against window), Poteau Police Chief B.J. Smith, Associate District Judge Ted Knight, LeFlore County Sheriff Bruce Curnutt and District Attorney Jeff Smith were members of a panel which discussed problems associated with methamphetamines following the presentation of Crystal Darkness at Buckley Public Library in Poteau.
By David Deaton
News Reporter
Four area venues hosted watch parties for the statewide simultaneous broadcast of Crystal Darkness Tuesday evening.
According to Bill Slater, co-chair for the LeFlore County Coalition for Healthy Living who sponsored the events, sign in sheets indicate that 351 people attended the watch parties in the county.
The sheets indicate only those who signed in. There were many more at each of the locations who did not sign for various reasons, including children and those who may not have seen the sheets.
Heavener was the first in the county to show the viewing on a prepared DVD. The sign in sheet at the First Methodist Church indicated a total of 49 persons attended the meeting.
Wister school hosted the viewing in their school cafeteria and had a total of 27 signing in.
Poteau's watch party, held in the conference room at Buckley Public Library, had a total of 50 in attendance.
Howe had the most in attendance, showing the broadcast from the drop-down screen in the gymnasium before the homecoming ball game against Arkoma. Approximately 225 persons of all ages viewed the 30 minute documentary showing the dramatic and devastating effects methamphetamine has on those using the illegal drug, their friends and family members.
LeFlore County Associate District Judge Ted Knight, a panelist at the Poteau watch party, told those in attendance about his passion for Drug Court and how it is working to change lives.
"In the past nine years, 450 persons have participated in Drug Court in LeFlore County since its inception," Knight said. "Out of that number, 65 percent have graduated from the program."
Knight added, "There are approximately 25,000 men and women in the Oklahoma prison system and another 27,000 on parole. Of those, 11,000 are in for non-violent drug related charges. We should be locking up people we are afraid of and not people we are mad at."
Oklahoma has taken huge strides in trying to curb the manufacture of meth.
"These little mom and pop operations are slowing getting shut down due to legislation that requires signatures and limits the number of products that people buy at one time," said LeFlore County Sheriff Bruce Curnutt. "The problem now is that it is being manufactured in Mexico and coming into the U.S. The meth from Mexico is in a much purer form."
Curnutt urged audience members to contact legislators about enacting and enforcing tougher laws on border patrols.
"Tighten up the border so that these drugs cannot get here," he said.
Jeff Smith, LeFlore County District Attorney, stated, "Meth can hit any family at any time. It is not biased and it can happen to the best of families."
In addition to the ravage methamphetamine can cause to its users and their families, it also takes a toll on every tax payer in the state.
"Substance abuse costs the tax payer approximately $500 billion a year," said B.J. Smith, Poteau Police Chief.
Concerns about treatment facilities were also voiced, not only by audience members but by one of the panelists as well.
Crystal Walker, a peer counselor for young women dealing with the habitual use of illegal drugs, told the crowd, "As big as the problem is here in the county there is no inpatient treatment facility."
"Thanks to everybody that made this event possible,” Slater said. “As soon as we have access to more copies of the DVD we’ll schedule other events in the county. At this time we know that Panama, Pocola and Spiro would like to have their own watch parties. We have been told several other faith-based entities are interested in showing the video. It is our desire to make the DVD available for viewing for every family in the county.”
Curnutt summed up by saying, "Education is certainly the key to prevention and intervention. The more educated communities become, the better prepared communities will be to fight the battle." |
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Last Updated ( Friday, 16 January 2009 )
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