Arizona Profile 1997

Drug Strategies

Making A Difference
Workplace

Over two-thirds of workers in Arizona say drug use by co-workers affects productivity, and 80 percent support drug education and assistance programs for workers and their families. Many employers are also involved in partnerships to reduce drug and alcohol problems in their communities.

>>Statewide
Helping Businesses Say "Drugs Don't Work"
Drug and alcohol abuse affect the productivity of American industry. Three quarters of drug users nationwide are employed, and substance abuse costs American businesses an estimated $100 billion annually. To combat this problem, businesses in Arizona launched Drugs Don't Work in Arizona (DDWA), a statewide public-private partnership that helps medium-size and small companies solve substance abuse problems. DDWA brings cost-effective drug-free workplace education and assistance to Arizona's business community. With financial support from businesses around the state, and state and Federal governments, its business-led marketing teams provide grants to chambers of commerce, business associations and community coalitions. Since 1994, DDWA has helped more than 800 businesses and is currently evaluating the effectiveness of drug-free workplace programs in Arizona. For more information about Drugs Don't Work in Arizona, call (602) 248-8453.

>>Phoenix
Motorola and Health Professionals Wake Up Teens
Increasingly, private industry is sharing the responsibility of youth prevention efforts. Created after a four-year old died in a drive-by shooting in Phoenix, Wake Up! is aimed at preventing youth gang involvement. This school-based partnership program is funded by the Motorola Corporation, the Phoenix Police Department, and the Arizona Hospital and Health Care Association. In WakeUp!, school resource officers promote healthy alternatives to violence and teach conflict resolution. The curriculum demonstrates the impact of violence on the community and enlists youth involvement. A music video produced by Motorola depicts the inevitable consequences for a young boy involved in drug-related gang violence. The Phoenix chapter of Parents of Murdered Children also participated in the video, which features photographs of children killed by gang violence. At the end of the Wake Up! presentation, students sign a pledge to stay clear of gangs, crime and drug use. To learn more, call (602) 495-5004.

>>Tucson
Partners for a Drug-Free Workplace
The unique needs of businesses in southern Arizona are the priority of Arizonans for a Drug-Free Workplace. Originally called Tucsonans for a Drug-Free Workplace, the group was formed in 1987 by the Tucson Rubber Corporation and the Pima County Sheriff's Office. This Chamber of Commerce committee grew into a separate organization in 1990, with a $5,000 grant from the Arizona Cardinals. Annual fundraising events, like the golf tournament sponsored by the Sierra Tucson and Norwest Bank in 1995, help the organization gain private sector support. About 1,000 businesses in Arizona and across the country obtain assistance from Arizonans for a Drug-Free Workplace. Resources include workshops and newsletters for businesses; a 223-page guide to a drug-free workplace; an employee assistance consortium for small businesses; a national toll-free telephone line; and a membership program. To learn more or become a member of Arizonans for a Drug-Free Workplace, call 1-800-529-3339 or (520) 740-5063.

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Making A Difference
Prevention Programs |Criminal Justice |Treatment Programs |Workplace