January 23, 2014
Two weeks ago, I hosted a panel discussion on drugs in our community. I want to thank everyone that participated in this very important discussion. Everyone brought a different perspective to the table and we had a frank dialogue on the issue at hand. The personal stories shared by those on the panel and in the audience helped take us beyond the statistics and showed us what drugs can do to a family.
As I’ve stated before, this is a complex issue with no easy solution. While the problem is not owned by any one group, I believe it is time that we as a community begin to do more to fight back against drugs. To start, I would like to do two things. First, the town will be putting out more information on drugs over time. We need every citizen and parent to know about current laws, the impact of illegal drugs, signs to watch for, and where to get help.
Secondly, the subject of community values around drugs was discussed at the roundtable. I would like to work with the community to develop a set of values that we will use to guide our efforts. We should not have stores selling drug paraphernalia. We should not have adults providing alcohol to minors. We should not be leaving old prescription drugs around the house. We should not turn a blind eye when we know someone is using drugs. These and other values should be established as standards for our community.
I was heartened by the response I received to my roundtable discussion and I hope the entire Colchester community will remain engaged on this issue in the future. Only working together can we make a difference in the fight against drugs.
Sincerely
Gregg Schuster
First Selectman
Previous Selectman Notes can be viewed at
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