Operation: Street Smart Drug Education for Adults

ZANESVILLE, Ohio – For the last 16 years the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office has used their expertise to educate adults on drugs.

The Operation:Street Smart Program shared their message with community leaders and law enforcement on Monday.

The program discusses what some of the drugs and drug paraphernalia look like and how drug users conceal and use their substances.

The work closely with probation departments, county coroner’s and even youth to make sure the program stay up with trends.

Ret. Sgt. Michael Powell from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office explained, “The kids see things long before mom and dad see, long before law enforcement. We also go into paraphernalia shops, head shops we call them, where they sell some of these items and you see the inventory of items in a store, you see what’s happening in that part of your community.”

Powell also educates the public on the signs someone may be using and to jump into the conversation early, when a person first notices that someone isn’t acting their normal self.

“We have to stand up and fight for them. So many times we hear that somebodies using the drug very early in life, we don’t want to get involved until it’s later down that path of life where they’re addicted to heroin then we want to jump in to try and help them. We have to start very early, when they first start to see it,” said Powell.

Powell said drug education can take place at any age, by teaching children the proper uses for medication and the consequences if it’s used improperly.