A national expert on recognizing signs of the drug culture will share his experience involving youth drug users when he makes public presentations next week in Aberdeen, Hoquiam and Elma.

Officer Jermaine Galloway, from Boise, has been in law enforcement in Idaho since 1977 and spends significant time speaking to youth and professionals at drug-prevention trainings, and parents about issues related to drug and alcohol use. Galloway will present his award-winning trainings about drug and alcohol use, titled “You Can’t Stop What You Don’t Know” and “High in Plain Sight.”

The presentations will feature discussions of underage drug trends, signs and symptoms of misuse, hidden stashes and other issues, according to information from Wilma Weber at Grays Harbor Public Health and Social Services.

The first presentation, “You Can’t Stop What You Don’t Know,” is intended for parents/caregivers/grandparents and other adults.

“High in Plain Sight” is intended for professionals such as school teachers, social workers, law enforcement, and anyone who works with youth. Both cover topics like drug and alcohol trends.

“You Can’t Stop What You Don’t Know” is offered on the following dates:

• Tuesday April 23, at Summit Pacific Wellness Center from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

• Wednesday April 24, at Hoquiam High School from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

“High in Plain Sight” will be offered on the following dates:

• Wednesday April 24, at Hoquiam High School from 1:15 3:30 p.m.

• Thursday April 25, at Aberdeen Rotary Log Pavilion from 8 a.m. to noon.

The event is sponsored by a two local coalitions aimed at reducing underage drug use in Hoquiam and Aberdeen (named the My TOWN and Harbor Strong coalitions, respectively) as well as Summit Pacific Wellness Center, Washington Health Care Authority, CHOICE Regional Health Network, and Grays Harbor Coalition against Drugs.

In the 2018 Healthy Youth Survey, which is released every two years through collaborative work of several state agencies, found that one in five Grays Harbor County 10th-grade students currently use a vaping device, and two in five are current marijuana users. Those same teens think that only 37% of adults in their neighborhood think it is “very wrong” for youth to use marijuana.

Galloway will address underage drinking and drug problems by going through education, prevention and enforcement, Weber wrote.

For registration and more information please go to www.mytowncoalition.org.