News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 23, 2003

DEA Detroit Sponsors Drug Trends Conference To Educate Community Representatives

JAN 23-- On January 23, 2003, the Detroit Division Office, along with the Prevention Coalition of Southeast Michigan (PREVCO), co-sponsored "The Dirty Dozen: Twelve Drug Trends in Southeast Michigan." The conference was held in Southfield, Michigan and was attended by 540 teachers, law enforcement officials, treatment professionals and prevention professionals from throughout Michigan.

John Lunt, Chief of DEA's Demand Reduction Section, provided the opening remarks and welcomed those who attended the conference. Mr. Lunt stressed the importance that DEA places on law enforcement working and sharing resources with professionals in education, drug prevention and drug treatment.

The day-long seminar covered a range of topics, which included marketing of tobacco and alcohol products to children; current trends in marijuana use; abuse of over- the-counter drugs; and increased rates of abuse of the prescription drugs Ritalin and Oxycontin. Detroit Assistant Special Agent in Charge Joseph Rannazzisi provided a comprehensive look at the predatory nature of certain club and predatory drugs when he provided the audience with a presentation titled, "Predatory Drugs: Lurking in Your Neighborhood."

The Detroit Division believes that this seminar will encourage many of the attendees to sponsor future predatory and club drug workshops for their co-workers and students. The conference will also strengthen and expand community coalitions, which are creating information networks between law enforcement, educators and treatment/prevention specialists.