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Youth Anti-Drug group recognizes model stores |
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Written by Andrew Powell
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Friday, 18 July 2008 |
A youth group working with Champions for a Drug Free McCreary County has surveyed nearly 30 local stores to pinpoint ways those businesses can help reduce drug use in the county.
Around 12 students, part of the New Generation Teen Coalition of Champions surveyed 27 retail stores reviewing such items as tobacco sign placement, placement of products that can be used as inhalants, over the counter drug placement and access to other drug paraphernalia such as rolling papers.
“We’ve named this “Project Hands Off” because we feel that keeping products that can potentially be abused out of reach is one way businesses can support the efforts to reduce drug use in McCreary County,” Coalition leaders say in a letter to area businesses.
Tuesday the group met with two “model stores,” chosen because of the limited access to items that can be easily abused. Those model stores are Wilson’s Quick-Stop in Pine Knot, owned by Rick Wilson, and A&M Grocery in Pine Knot, owned by Andrew Shepherd.
As for the other 25 stores, they are being notified of areas of focus, ways they can limit access to potentially dangerous items, and are being asked by the coalition to make improvements. When asked Tuesday, all the teenagers in the group agreed it is very easy to acquire, either by purchasing or potentially shoplifting, things like inhalants, over the counter medication and drug paraphernalia at most stores in McCreary County.
“If a kid wanted a can of Skoal or a pack of cigarettes, they could easily get it in McCreary County,” said coalition member James Braden.
Brandi Coomer, Champions Coalition member, said the purpose of the store survey was to make stores aware of what they were doing correctly, first, and then point out areas of improvement. The teen coalition project fits perfectly into the overall agenda of Champions by raising awareness within the entire community to the drug problem in McCreary County and ways it can be countered, she added.
“We have been doing this for five or six years now and have now found this great way to get our youth involved,” Coomer said. “Our youth are our future leaders and they have a big voice and it is time to get that voice heard locally.”
Coomer said all the teen coalition members underwent a training session to know exactly what to look for in each store when conducting the survey. Coomer and the Champions group regularly offers various drug awareness training sessions and is offering to meet with local stores to correct any problems the teen coalition may have observed.
With the model stores, the teen coalition spoke with the store owners and looked at product placement to let owners know just how the store limits access to dangerous products. Advice was also given at the time for any further improvements. Both Wilson and Shepherd were also given awards from the coalition.
Other stores will be revisited in the coming months to see what improvements, if any, were made. Convenience, grocery and pharmacies were the focus of this survey. The coalition may lead similar projects in the future with other areas of focus, said the adult sponsors, Tracey Skinner and Regina Campbell.
For more information on the survey, the New Generation Teen Coalition or Champions for a Drug Free McCreary County, please call Champions President Roger Owens at 376-9346.
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