Coalition looking for members
Jan. 2, 2018
Number of children using drugs and alcohol unacceptable
YADAH coalition members will be meeting Jan. 8.
LAKE HAVASU CITY, Arizona – The Young Adult Development Association of Havasu coalition is dedicated to reducing and preventing opioid, illicit drug, and alcohol use among the resident youth.
The coalition, which is seeking members, will be meeting Jan. 8, 5:30 p.m., at the YADAH office located in the Shops at Lake Havasu mall, suite D430, behind PetSmart.
“There comes a point when people need to stop waiting for others to address a problem,” said Zen Mocarski, community development coordinator with the partnership. “The abuse and misuse of prescription pain killers, illicit drugs, and alcohol is a problem that won’t magically go away.”
The majority of students in the Lake Havasu area do not use alcohol or drugs, but the numbers remain worrisome.
“More than a third of 12th graders admitted to consuming alcohol in the 30 days prior to a survey, almost a quarter had smoked marijuana, and nearly one in 10 had taken opioids,” Mocarski said. “And they are starting younger. Alcohol had been consumed by 17 percent of 8th-grade respondents and 11 percent had used marijuana.”
The number one reason given for using drugs or alcohol was to have fun.
The YADAH meeting will include the election of officers along with planning the first “Do Hobbies, Not Habits” event at the mall in April. Those interested in learning more about the coalition can visit yadahlhc.org.
For more information, contact Zen Mocarski (928) 421-9525 or Cheryl Clark (928) 605-9624. Or email Zenon@azyp.org or Cheryl@azyp.org.
