With the distinction of having been the first prevention initiative to be implemented by the NW HIDTA, the Marijuana Education/Awareness Effort has achieved several successes since March 1997.  Under the auspices of the Office of the Washington State Lieutenant Governor, this initiative has developed and disseminated factual information about the consequences of marijuana use to youth, parents, teachers, clergy, health professionals, business and community leaders, the media and the general public throughout the HIDTA region.

The "foundation" for these activities has been the development of a reference and resource library, comprised of research studies and materials, magazine and journal articles, program descriptions and legislation from other states and video productions.  Prior to then designing strategies for packaging and distributing this information, and in order to obtain a baseline for measuring the impacts of these efforts, an accurate understanding of public opinions and attitudes about marijuana use in the region was needed.  Focus groups were therefore conducted and a telephone survey of 700 residents throughout the region was completed, providing demographic information and responses to questions regarding substance abuse, increases in the use of marijuana by youth, the effectiveness of prevention programs and other drug-related topics.

Based on these findings, educational and training materials were developed.  This "Say It Straight" curriculum has come to include informational brochures in English and Spanish, a training manual and  video, which in turn has been the basis for numerous presentations and discussions.  To date:

• 8,500 Marijuana Educa- tion fact sheets have been  distributed throughout the  region;
• 700 copies of the "Say  It  Straight" training curriculum  and video have been dis- tributed;
• Over 400 "Key Com munity Communicators"  have attended "Say It  Straight" trainings;
• Over 7,000 persons  have attended educa- tional presentations  throughout the region;
• Over 24,000 community  leaders, parents and citi- zens have been introduced  to the "Say It Straight" cur- riculum  within the HIDTA  region.

A survey of the Key Community Communicators who attended the "Say It Straight" training revealed that 71% described marijuana use as "more harmful" after the training than prior to attending.

With the potential for reaching and informing an even greater number of people, the "M-Files" website is the centerpiece of the Marijuana Education/Awareness Effort.  Located at www.mfiles.org, this web

site is rich with substantiated, factual information, and is organized to provide statistics regarding usage, the consequences of use, perspectives on legalization, issues pertaining to proposed medicinal uses, prevention strategies, and links to numerous related websites and resources.  The "M-Files" was officially launched at a press conference held September 23 at the HIDTA facility and is being announced by mailings to each public school librarian and intervention specialist within the HIDTA region.  Future mailings will also be made to public library systems, community organizations and coalitions throughout the region.

The "M-Files" and "Say It Straight" materials provide an unbiased, factual body of information regarding marijuana for youth, parents, community leaders and educators, and lend balance to the current discourse about personal choice and public policy.  Their message supports the position of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, calling for continuing, rigorous scientific study of the consequences of marijuana use so that decisions can be made on the basis of fact rather than anecdote, emotion or speculation.  For more information regarding the Marijuana Education/Awareness Initiative, please contact the Office of the Lieutenant Governor at (360) 786-7700, Steve Freng at the NW HIDTA office, or visit www.mfiles.org.