CRACKDOWN Forum to address drug enforcement

A new treatment program for drug addicts will also be presented.
& lt;a href=mailto:cioffi@vindy.com & gt;By LAURE CIOFFI & lt;/a & gt;
VINDICATOR NEW CASTLE BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Mayor Wayne Alexander wants everyone to know he's serious about eliminating drugs.
That's why U.S. Rep. Melissa Hart of Bradford Woods, R-4th; U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan; and James Harper, head of the Pittsburgh office of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, are coming to the city this week to talk about drug enforcement.
A public forum, to also will include Lawrence County Commissioner Dan Vogler and Matthew Mangino, the county's district attorney, is planned for 10:30 a.m. Monday at Ben Franklin Intermediate School, 617 Cunningham Ave.
"The purpose of the forum is to tell the citizens that I'm adamantly opposed to drugs and I'm going after all levels of drug dealers," Alexander said.
Hart is expected to give a legislative update regarding drugs and crime. She also will talk about her support of the mayor's efforts and her work on the U.S. House Drug Task Force.
Buchanan is expected to talk about prosecution efforts and successes regarding the arrest and conviction of drug dealers in New Castle.
Mayor's report
Alexander said he also will talk about some of the successes of his administration as his 100th day in office approaches.
He said his hard stance on police enforcement has netted 495 traffic tickets and citations issued so far. In all of 2003, there were 450 traffic tickets and citations issued.
He also points out there have been increased drug arrests since he took office in January.
Alexander said he also is supporting a proposed treatment program that will help drug addicts.
Legal De-Tox is a new nonprofit corporation founded by New Castle attorney Angelo Papa.
The group is working in establishing a treatment program that can be modeled across the country, said Brian Welsh, executive director of the Lawrence County Family Center, one of the entities involved in the project.
Welsh said they are looking at two new medications that help people addicted to alcohol and opiates.
Buprenorphine is a partial opiate agonist, which means it blocks and lessens withdraw symptoms for drug addicts and alcoholics. The second drug, Revia, blocks a person's ability to get high from illicit drugs or alcohol, Welsh said.
Welsh said Legal De-Tox is talking to judges in Lawrence and nearby counties about using the program for nonviolent drug offenders. The program also requires the person to participate in a 12-step recovery program such as Alcoholics or Narcotics Anonymous, he said.
The Family Center, a social service agency, would assist those in the program with housing and child-care needs, he added.
& lt;a href=mailto:cioffi@vindy.com & gt;cioffi@vindy.com & lt;/a & gt;