The Governor’s Office of Drug Control Policy is holding the first of several town hall meetings on drug and alcohol abuse Wednesday in Ankeny. Dale Woolery is the associate director of the office. He says the town hall meetings are a chance for citizens to come and speak out about what they see as the local drug and alcohol problems, or success stories.
Woolery says it’s part of a fact-finding tour by the director of the Office of Drug Control Policy, and the Partnership for a Drug Free Iowa. Woolery says they want to find out what’s happening at the local level.
Woolery says you hear a lot about methamphetamine, but alcohol abuse is the number one drug problem in the state, and there are also problems with prescription drugs. He says the problems may differ by community. Woolery says the town hall meetings will help the state do a better job.
Woolery says they hope to get good ideas they can use for budget and policy decisions, or maybe change procedures. The first forum is WEdnesday from five to 6:30 at the Ankeny City Hall. Woolery says they plan to have meetings across the state, with the next set for October 31st in Dubuque, and November 19th in Waterloo.