Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / March 28, 1996, edition 1 / Page 6
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6A NEWS The CharloHe Post March 28,1996 Mecklenburg drug use doesn’t fit public perceptions SUBSCRIBE TODAY! (704)376-0496 By Herbert L. White THE CHARLOTTE POST The majority of drug users in Mecklenburg County run counter to stereotyiies, accord ing to a recent survey. A study released last week by the Chemical Dependency Center of Charlotte- Mecklenburg showed that although 7 percent of respon dents have used cocaine or crack, more than half of them were white and nearly a quar ter are between the ages of 25- 45. Respondents in the 25-34 age group were most likely to use cocaine or crack, with 14.5 percent affirmation. The 35-44 age group was next at 9.8 per cent. The survey of 850 county residents conducted by the Urban Institute of UNC Charlotte revealed that drug use is more likely to occur among people with a college education than those with high school or less. More than a tenth said they've never touched alcohol, with 14.5 responding that they've never taken a drink. The study showed: • Twice as many whites (7.9 percent) than African Americans (3.6 percent) use cocaine or its crack derivative. More whites than blacks admit to have driven while impaired (50.7 percent to 22.4 percent), but more African Americans had been cited for DWI (5.6 percent to 5.1). • About a third of Mecklenburg's population, or 370,000 people, are affected by a family member's alcohol or drug problems, according to the survey, and nearly 40 per cent of responsdents said they had at least one family mem ber who has experienced a drug- or alcohol-related prob lem. • Public safety is also more at risk than many believe. Local data confirm national statistics that 1 in 10 people who drink alcohol with devel op more serious problems later. • People with at least some college education are more likely to try drugs than those without. Among respondents, 8.7 percent with some college tried cocaine or crack; 7.2 per cent were college graduates. Only 4.7 percent of people with high school education or less tried drugs. • Significant numbers of respondents admitted they j drove while impaired, even ( when they knew it was dan- ^ gerous to do so. Few of those caught driving impaired ever i sought treatment for their | problems. Golden Window & Door Sto SEE US For All Of Your Window And Door Needs 4548-H Old Pineville Rd. 52S-1188 Fighting Back waiting Continued from page 1A cation and HIV/AIDS educa tion in the location at 2730 Rozelle’s Ferry Road, when it began leasing 2,000 square fee of apace to Fighting Back. “We rent space to them so they may have a resource cen ter in that building. We are also a partner with the pro ject. We commit to share and to encourage people to come to the resource center for pro gramming and we sit on the (Fighting Back) commission. We help publicize what Fighting Back does out of the resource center. “They provide services to the community through city and county agencies that are already in existence,” Curry said. Some agencies with offices in the resource center include the Mecklenburg County Health Department, the Drug Education Center, the Urban League and the Charlotte Area Fund. “Those programs were already in place, doing a good job city wide, but now they fall under the umbrella of Fighitng Back just to work out of resource centers. Fighting Back is supposed to be a vehi cle whereby services already available in the city are brought closer to people...and reduce the demand for alcohol and drugs, in cooperation with existing agencies.” After hearing the community report last week, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation officials said they will let the commu nity know soon, whether it will recommend a second $3 million grant for Fighting Back. The foundation’s annual meeting, when awards are usually announced is this”^ summer. Mecklenburg’s program is one of 14 Fighting Back pro grams in the country. The unsung heroes /I PHOTO/PAUL WILLIAMS III Focus on Leadership honored Charlotte’s unsung heroes last week during its annual banquet at the Airport Sheraton Hotel. Among those honored for their work in the community were: Kevin Ligon (community service); Afro-American Children’s Theatre (arts); Ron Goodwin (business/entrepreneur); Vilma Leake (education); Angela Bynum (human service); Paula Williams (media); Shaun Miller (youth); Rev. Sheldon Shipman (religion) and Samuel Reid (politics). Makaziwe Mandela will help Johnson C. Smith University celebrate its 129th anniversary. Mandela, daughter of South AfHcan President Nelson Mandela, will be the keynote speaker at JCStTs -Foimders* Day celebra tion Sunday. The event will be held at Jane M. Smith Memorial Church on News Briefs campus. Mandela An affirma tive action/equal opportunity advis er at the University of Witwatersand in Johannesburg, Mandela holds master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. As a Fulbright 50th Anniversary Distinguished Fellow, Mandela is visiting colleges, universities and community organizations throughought the U.S. Her tour is hosted by the United Negro College Fund and spon sored by the U.S. Information Agency, which funds the Fulbright Program. The Founders’ Day program is free and open to the public. A commimity reception will fol low. • The Charlotte-Mecklenburg NAACP wants to turn non-vot ers into poltical participants. The organization’s Operation Renaissance will register vot ers through Monday at the Charlotte Transit Center. Volunteers are signing up vot ers from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, and 80 people registered in the first three hours. By bringing more voters into the election process, people can have a real voice in govern ment, said local NAACP presi dent Alfred Alexander. As a civil rights organization, the NAACP has been on the cut ting edge of voter empower ment. “The CMC NAACP has long seen the importance of voter education and voter registra tion,” he said. “The founders of the NAACP understood the powerful relationship of the vote and the conditions of the African American community. This is the same message we carry today.” This year’s elections take on added importance in Charlotte because of the NAACFs national convention here, which typically attracts major candidates for president. Operation Renaissance’s goal is to produce record numbers of-| voters. “The NAACP is serious about getting voters out in record numbers in such an important election year,” said Terry Belk, chairman of the Political Action Committee. “Charlotte will be the nter of a lot of attention as we approach the national NAACP convention that will be held here in July. It is a golden opportunity for the citizens of Charlotte to have a front row seat to the issues and process that is the heartbeat of America.” Herbert L. White Curry said she thinks last week’s foundation visit went well, largely due to the efforts of Fighting Back director Hattie Anthony. “It is because of her that the midyear assessment went as well as it did,” Curry said. It has been a troubling year for Anthony, who has weath ered several adverse news reports about the program, including concerns about a $15,000 weekend retreat by 90 community leaders to Myrtle Beach. 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The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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March 28, 1996, edition 1
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