By Rusty Nixon Correspondent
PLYMOUTH — On a night when Rob Ryan of the Bowen Center offered some rays of hope, frustration bubbled over in some patrons at a meeting of Plymouth Mayor Mark Senter’s anti-meth committee.
While Ryan talked of programs offering hope for the next generation in education and prevention of drug addiction, parents of current addicts and some local citizens expressed dismay and some anger over the current situation.

Some in attendance ex-pressed frustration with law enforcement’s handling of complaints and the courts treatment of those charged with drug crimes. They felt that larger bail amounts – and more police action would “…get these guys off the streets.”
While law enforcement members present reminded those in attendance that they had the restraints of the law  — building a case that will stand up in court and probable cause for arrest.
Plymouth Police Chief Jim Cox said “…We can’t make even one tiny mistake on these cases. If we do they will own us in litigation…”
Ryan himself may have summed it up: “What I’m hearing now is normal frustration with a situation that you feel is impossible to do anything about. That’s scary. But what we’re offering here is hope.”
Ryan encouraged the audience to become involved with a group called the “Local Coordination Council” that meets at the Plymouth Library on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 9 a.m. The organization is involved with activities that provide education and links to opportunities for treatment for drug and alcohol problems.
He also outlined a program that will begin in the Plymouth schools (Riverside and Lincoln Jr. High) in April. The program takes DARE a step further, focusing on life skills training.
“DARE does what it was designed to do very well,” said Ryan. “It gives kids the purpose to say no and let’s them practice saying no, but it doesn’t really provide any drug resistance skills.”
Ryan says that research has shown that decision-making skills, learning to deal with stress, coping with anger and communication, and social skills are all part of the factors that will cause kids to use or not use drugs
Developing these skills, along with self esteem, are essential in helping kids be drug resistant.
“I’ve never met anybody who said meth was their first drug. They had to be under the influence to even try it the first time,” said Ryan. “Research has shown that kids who undergo this life-skills training are 75 to 87 percent less likely to use gateway drugs such as cigarettes, alcohol and marijuana.”
Kids in the training were almost 70 percent less likely to use all other drugs, including methamphetamine.
“I don’t think you’re going to punish this problem out of Indiana. What we have here is real hope for the community.”