KOLD News 13A Small Town Fights Meth Problem

A Small Town Fights Meth Problem

Mark Stine KOLD News 13 Reporter
Posted: 8-18-05

"We heard about it, we know we hear so much of it in our town, in our area."

Nancy Iverson wants meth out of Cochise County. She organized a community meeting in Benson to raise awareness and to keep meth out of the hands of children. "We don't want any of them to get on this and it's in our schools and it's so destructive to the soul and the body."

The Cochise County Sheriff's Department helps teach these Benson residents what they're up against. Lieutenant Al Tomlinson said, "We can do our part, but we have to have the community support to stop the meth problem."

Lieutenant Tomlinson says meth isn't just a problem in Cochise County, but all over the state.

"We thought it would be a good thing to come out and learn what we need to do in our community, to rid the community of meth and other drugs." Diane Shipman's son just started high school, she hopes he's able to be a good role model for his friends. "I hope he stays away from the drug scene and if he can be an influence in anyway to other kids to stay away, that would be great."

"This is a mission and we just want to help and make our community wonderful," Iverson told KOLD News 13.

And Lieutenant Tomlinson says the solution to the problem starts with small community meetings like this one. "A grass roots effort, one person at a time, one community at a time, one block at a time, one house at a time, that's the only way to get it stopped."