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BY BRITTNEE NAVE
STAR CORRESPONDENT
The places and lengths a teen will go to in an effort to hide drugs may surprise you.
The National Guard Counterdrug Task Force brought a trailer known as “Stashed Away” to the Elizabethton/Carter County Library Public Library on Wednesday. The trailer was brought to be previewed by regional prevention coalitions.
1Lt Scot Teal, Tennessee Counterdrug Civil Operator, spoke on the goal of this program.
“This program is an education program for coalitions,” he said. “Across the state, there are 74 active coalitions. Of these prevention coalitions, they do public events and things of that nature, but there’s not really been an education system set up to try and educate the public on the key indicators for our youth.”
While there have been similar, though smaller programs like this, Teal said the goal was to expand this for different coalitions.
“This is an educational experience for parents and adults. Adults only,” he said. “They can come forward and find different information on every type of narcotic drug, marijuana, opioids, everything under the sun.”
Teal explained the Stashed Away program is an idea the task force came up with over a year ago that included the creation of a teenager’s bedroom.
When describing the setup, he posed questions like what he could do as a parent when spending the few minutes parents do in their child’s room per day to look for indicators of drug use.
Along with key indicators throughout the trailer meant to help educate parents, there are also items that can be purchased with the click of a button used to hide drug paraphernalia.
“Parents see the obvious things, but they might miss something that’s just a little out of sight,” he explained. “That’s kind of what we’re looking for here today.”
There is also compiled informational data throughout the trailer from actual teens on drug, alcohol, and tobacco use.
After the tour ends, parents are given resources to help them steer kids in a positive direction, explained Teal.
The trailer has never been set up in the public before. Wednesday served as a trial run and is for coalitions to run.
“We see this as it belongs to the public,” said Teal.
After the Carter County Prevention Coalition toured the trailer, they were pleased with what they had seen.
“I thought it was a really neat opportunity,” said Jilian Reece, director. “I am excited to bring them back in the future for parents in the community to experience.”