query: rural anti-drug organizing

[colist at comm-org.utoledo.edu]

[ed:  feel welcomed to copy COMM-ORG with your responses to 
Randy's query.]

From: Ranmyiccs at aol.com

I'm looking for examples of small rural communities doing successful 
grassroots organizing campaigns in response to the drug trafficking 
culture.

I'm a community organizer with Illinois Coalition for Community 
Services in central IL.  Of the six counties I work, each one has a Meth 
trade that is out of control.  To top things off, most of our local 
municipalities are facing budget cuts and are not hiring drug 
enforcement personnel, even seeing the ranks of regular police 
reduced through attrition.  

While community service programs of prevention are somewhat helpful 
and educational, they are not really making it well. There is a real 
feeling of powerlessness and hopelessness in the face of the situation.   

So what are some ways COs are working from the grassroots, 
empowering people to address the problem?  

Thanks for any direction or examples you can give me.

Peace,
Randy Myers
Tallgrass Area Project
Illinois Coalition for Community Services
Ranmyiccs at aol.com