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Vol.9"
® Drug abuse
BY GLEN HOFFMAN
Is the consumption of illegal
drugs, which includes the usage of
alcohol, increasing among area
youth? Many local authorities
express a disappointed yes and tell
why. ;
Lake-Lehman Prineipal James
Nicholas thought for a moment then
said, ‘I don’t think that more and
more youths are using drugs; these
days alcohol is the greater problem.
“Alcohol, such as beer and wine,
is being abused because it is more
socially acceptable than drugs,”
said Nicholas. “There is a social
- willingness to accept ‘alcohol;
parents are compromising by
ne ‘thank goodness youth’ are
“only drinking alcohol, and not doing
drugs’.” i
“It appears to me that students
feel it is not as fashionable to use
drugs: as it ‘once was,” said
-Nicholas.
Father George Jeffery, of Our
Lady of Victory, Harveys Lake,
said that the abuse of alcohol is
increasing because of the
availability of the substance.
“Youth obtains alcohol through
friends—-peers,” said Father Jef-
fery. “According to the National
Institute of Health, 40 percent of all
people have at least tried alcohol.”
“The consumption of alcohol is on
the rise because young people are
ignorant of the harmfulness in both
-the short and long run,” said Father
Jeffery. Guidance and information
should be given to’ children about
the harm of alcohol, beginning from
school grade one.”
Father Jeffery said that youths’
inability to cope with daily
problems, and peer pressure, cause
alcohol abuse. ‘‘Instead of dealing
with a problem - large or small - it is
easier for a young person fotake a
drink,”’ said Father Jeffery.
“The problem of alcohol abuse is
in epidemic proportions,” stated
Father Jeffery. ‘But people are
reluctant to do enough about the
problem because of the stigma of
alcoholism--people do not want to be
associated with’ alcohol abusers.”
“General Motors calls alcoholism
the billion dollar problem because
of the decrease of productivity and
worker morale,’ said Father
Jeffery. ‘It ‘would cost less to
rehabilitate alcoholics compared to
the loss in job performance costs.”
Carmen Ambrosino, executive
director of the Wyoming Valley
and Drug Services,
Kingston, said, ‘‘drug abuse is
increasing because we live in a
world which has lost sight of ideas
such as strength and fortitude.
Instead of ‘youith' reaching for an
answer, they have a tendency to
“Drug and alcohol abuse may be
increasing in view of the fact that'
our case load is on the rise,” said
Ambrosino. ‘‘About six years ago
we processed three cases every
month: Now we process 42 active
cases each month.”
be sure, legally cures common
muscular pain. But the pain of
social failure, the pain of personal
inadequacy, and the pain of the
boredom, frustration, and pressure
of life is increasingly being relieved
by unsafe ineffective, and illegal
- drugs called alcohol, cocaine;=and
,_ ‘marijuana.
N
The pain that lllicit drug users
of causes such as peer pressure,
problems in the home, and the
desire to experiment, according to
John Zezza, drug and alcohol
treatment specialist.
Mr. Zezza, is a specialist with the
Wyoming Valley Alcohol and Drug
Services, Kingston.
The twinge of stress a child feels
at home when an ordeal is in the
wake, explodes into" agony as a
divorce, a severe illness, or child
. abuse wrecks his home life.
“A child may withstand
devastating events at home, but if
the parents present a lax attitude
towards alcohol or drug usage, the
drug abuse,” said Zezza. ‘Drug
abuse may occur as a superficial
relief from the pain of a harsh home
a life”
3 & ¥
- “The use of drugs among young
people is increasing because there
Is not enough awareness in society
not cracking-down on pushers and
users,” said Barbara Edwards,
College Misericordia freshman.
“The relief by illegal drugs in the
user is in the form of a pleasurable
effect, ‘a euphoria,” said Zezza.
‘But with" repetitive use ‘a
psycological and physical depen-
dency develops causing mood
alteration and depression. Drug
abuse then becomes the problem,
drugs becomes secondary and
unsolved.”
Outside of the home problems,
peer pressure is also a major cause
Young people tend to experiment
with drugs with greater willingness
as an individual loses his identity:
becoming relatively anonymous in
the crowd.
“In a group, young people tend to
share responsibility for their use of
drugs, and if they get caught they.
are not alone to face the legal
consequences. Also other people in
the group may know more about
“drugs than a certain new user in the
group.”
Many specialists ‘in the drug
abuse field expressed their view
be thoroughly understood inorder to
treat the drug abuser. If the pain a
drug abuser feels could be resolved
in a healthful manner, than drug:
abuse cases may decrease.
“Drugs are something to do. More
younger people are taking drugs be-
cause they cannot get into bars until
they are 21, so they do drugs,” said
April Yonkin, a junior. ‘More
crowd is, drugs are sort of a social
event.”
Nicholas, principal of Lake-
“Young people are doing more
drugs and alcohol because they feel
that their life is not personally
satisfying,’ said Charles Dolloff,
owner of Garden of Eden, Dallas.
‘““Today’s youth are not involved
enough in clean activities such as
sports, or the arts, or work. They
have too much free time, and when
boredom sets in young people
sometimes turn to drugs as
something to do.” ;
While most of the Nozen com-
munity’ was in church Sunday
morning a week ago, the Ku Klux
Klan came to town.
“I thought they were funny,” said
like it.” She said they came to town
in pickups, and jeeps and that there
were possibly a dozen of them.
‘Some of them dressed in robes and
hoods, and some had nothing
Mrs. Siglin’s grandson saw them
and ran into’ the house to tell his
sister to come out and see. ‘“‘They’re
all out halloweening,”’ his grand- .
mother reported. Some of the
children took the literature the Klan
was passing out and placed it on the
street with stones to hold it down.
Apparently most Noxen residents
are taking the white supremacists:
in stride, althouogh somewhat
nervously. “The world is full of all
kinds,”” said Mr. Siglin, who
operates a service station at the
community’s hub.
“I would say that most people are
not too pleased about it,”’ said a
lady at the TNT Country Store.
Klan members whose faces were
uncovered were apparently
strangers to the community; but
some hinted local people may have
been involved.
The Klan was distributing copies
of its’ monthly publication The
Klansman along with some pam-
phlets. ‘The Illegal Alien Problem”
and “Fusion of the Races’’, and ‘‘An
Introduction to the Invisible
Empire-Knights - of the Ku Klux
Klan.” :
The Klan, which was formed after
the Civil War and the freeing of
slaves as ‘‘the savior of the white’
south, and thereby, the preserver of
the purity of the white race for all of
America,” is not new to the Back
Mountain. Some old timers recall
the burning of crosses on the spot
where College Misericordia now
stands. Crosses were burned on the
hill facing down the main street in
Noxen also.
Reverend Jerry Tallent, pastor of
Noxen Independent Bible Church,
feels that some parts of the Klan’s
program, such as America first,
acceptance of the Constitution as
written, free enterprise and positive
Christianity, are worthwhile, but he
cannot accept their implacable
hatred of all races unless white, and
unless non-Jewish.
‘Some things are basically sound
and good,” said Rev. Tallent, “but
we need to look at their entire
program.’ He said it is difficult to
accept something as good when it
includes something that is bad.
The Klan was also reported
soliciting support in the Harveys
Lake area as well.
“Drug use is increasing because
young people feel freer to try dif-
ferent experiences,” said senior
Barbara Dombroski of College
Misericordia. ‘People do not think
the use of hard drugs is such a big
deal anymore. About 15 years ago
parents would have dropped dead if
they found their child taking drugs,
but today it would not mean that
much.”
“Drug usage is on the rise because
they are easier to obtain,” said
freshman Karen Linker. “You get
the sensation, a high, that great
feeling of relief I suppose. Young
people must think that drugs are not
just an escape, but a great escape.”
Local volunteer fire companies
will share nearly $30,000 in
volunteer firemen’s relief associa-
tion and paid pension fund allo-
cations being distributed by the
Department of the Auditor General.
The state contribution to the
firemen’s relief associations and
pension funds comes from a two
percent gross premiums tax on
‘“‘foreign’’ fire insurance com-
panies, and from surplus money in
the Fire Insurance Tax Fund.
“Foreign” refers to a company
incorporated out of state:
Each community’s payment is
based on the amount of premiums
written by a foreign fire insurance
company for that community’s
residents and businesses.
Back Mountain communities and
the amounts due are: Harveys
Lake, $968.48; Dallas Twp.,
$3130.66; Jackson Twp., $1955.04;
Lake Twp., $1162.50; Franklin
Twp., $696.94; Lehman Twp.,
$1791.68; Dallas Boro, $6952.88;
Kingston Twp., $10,146.38; Ross
Twp., $2695.06 and Noxen Twp.,
$276.44.
Bike rider narrowly
avoids injury
+ Thomas Watkins of 103 Shawnee
Avenue, Plymouth; lost control of
his Scorher ten speed bike while
traveling south on Route 309,
Sunday.
Eye witness Eric Stolarick of 4
North Main St.,” Shavertown, said
that he saw two cars swerve around
Watkins who was lying on the road.
Kingston Twp. police said that
Watkins, who was admitted to the
Nesbitt - Hospital, may have lost
control when a strong gust of wind
tumbled the bike. Ptlm. Gary E.
Beisel is investigating the accident.
‘“‘Peer pressure and academic
pressure are major reasons for in-
creased use of drugs,” said Patty
Kubasti, a freshman. ‘Taking
drugs is an easy way to escape the
problems of life such as the great
need for money and prestige.”
{
v
$960 egy
Robert E. Anderson of 190 But-
ternut Rd., Shavertown, pleaded
not guilty to the charge of throwing
eggs at the home of Dallas Area
High School principal, Brooke Hunt
of Lehman Ave., Dallas.
Charged with criminal mischief
by Ptlm. James Tupper of the
Dallas Borough Police Department,
Anderson said that he may have
given a ride to the people who threw
the eggs, but he did not throw any
eggs, according to the records of the
prehearing before Magistrate
Leonard Harvey, Dallas.
A hearing before Harvey set for
November 6 at 6 p.m., will decide
whether Anderson must pay the
estimated dmaages of $960.00.
Tires stolen
James Greger of 26 Fox Hollow
Drive, Dallas, reported to’ the
Dallas Twp. police that his car was
jacked up in his driveway and two
snow tires were removed, Monday.
The tires are valued at $150.00.
Hanson charged
Scott ‘Allen Hanson of 1396 Main
St., Port Griffiths, is charged with’
robbery and theft by the Dallas
Twp., police.
. Hanson is suspected to’ have
robbed Yalicks Farm Market,
Harveys Lake Highway, last
Thursday. Hanson was committed
to’ the Luzerne County Prison in
default of $5,000 bail.
A preliminary hearing is set for
November 6, at 2 p.m., before
Magistrate Earl Gregory, Kingston
Twp.
y