CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A number of Kanawha County community groups are sponsoring what’s called a “Day of Introspection” Monday.
The day will feature three talks by Dr. Alfgeir Kristjansson of the WVU School of Public Health.
“He’s going to talk to the entire community of Kanawha County about what we need to do to stop teen substance abuse,” Charleston YMCA Executive Director Monty Warner said. “He portrays what they did in Iceland to turn teen substance abuse around.”
In the 1980’s Iceland was the worst country in Europe in terms of teen substance and within 30 years they had the least amount, Warner said.
“He has a solution that worked in Iceland and it might work for us,” Warner said.
Sara McDowell, the executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Central West Virginia, said it’s an important community collaboration.
“Our state, our people, and especially our children are facing what may be the greatest catastrophe in our 155-year history,” McDowell said. “The drug epidemic is killing our friends, our neighbors, colleagues and family, and the collateral damage of drug addiction is destroying entire communities.”
The event will be held at three different locations on Monday:
8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Riverside High School Auditorium (free and open admittance)
11:45 to 1:00 p.m. Charleston Civic Center – Rotary Club meeting room
1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Capital High School Auditorium (free and open admittance)