|
How does an employer know if methamphetamine, or any other
drug, is in the community? If it is, does it impact the
workplace, too? Employers may want to find out whether their
community has been affected by substances since, as noted in
Working Partners’ Special Issue on Methamphetamine, it is
quite likely that they could make their way to workplace—either
directly with an employee or by means of an employee’s relative
or friend. Employers shouldn't just assume that meth is or is
not a problem in their workplace, but at the very least should
be able to get a sense of whether meth or any other drug is a
problem in their community in order to extend that knowledge to
their workplace.
CADCA is offering a broadcast/webcast to
help communities determine if drugs really are a major problem.
The broadcast/webcast, entitled “Drug Epidemics from Meth to
Mothballs: How to Know What’s Really Happening in Your
Community,” will explore statistics on drug use in different
parts of the country and will offer tools that can aid in
understanding the patterns of drug use in communities.
Understanding how meth is made and the consequences of its
manufacture can help businesses determine whether it is in the
community and possibly the workplace. Methamphetamine can be
easily made in homes using readily available products, and its
production creates significant problems and hazards including
explosions, toxic waste, and child neglect and abuse. Children
living in homes with meth labs are exposed to toxic waste and
are typically neglected if not abused by meth-using parents and
caretakers. There is an increase in HIV/AIDS associated with
meth use as the substance decreases a user’s inhibitions. The
materials used to produce the drug are poisonous and often
flammable, and mistakes can result in an explosion or injury—to
the meth cook, family members and friends. An increase in
hospital visits related to chemical burns is a sign of
methamphetamine in the community. Other consequences of meth in
the community include an increase in burglaries, theft
(including identity theft), physical and/or domestic violence
and even murder.
The broadcast/webcast will be aired May 17 from 1:00-2:00
p.m. EST. It will be webcast live at
http://www.mctft.com/
and
www.cadca.org
and can be viewed at no cost from any site
with a satellite dish having C-band downlink capabilities. All
viewing sites must register in advance to receive the necessary
satellite coordinates. To register, contact Ed Kronholm at
877-820-0305 or
dlnets@aol.com. To register online, visit
http://www.dlnets.com/MCTFT2nd.htm. The broadcast/webcast may also
be accessed after the May 17 air date. Visit the
above-mentioned Web sites for more information.
|
