‘A Different World:’ health office hosts substance awareness exhibit
By Steve Van Kooten
Crawford County Public Health Specialist Dawn Adams held a juice pouch in her hand and said, “What they do is cut off the top, dump out the juice, and pour some alcohol in it, and they can use a flat iron to heat the top back on.”
One-by-one, Adams moved through the Hidden in Plain Sight exhibit. She pointed out alcohol concealed in mouthwash bottles and sunscreen tubes, vapes in tissue boxes and candy mixed with edibles.
“Anything can be used to stash,” Adams said after she pulled a bag of marijuana from a teddy bear’s hindquarters.
We’ve come a long way from, “I learned from watching you, dad.”
The exhibit recreated a “youth or teenager’s room” set up for the Crawford County Department of Public Health’s open house on April 4.
The exhibit’s purpose was to increase awareness and encourage parents to maintain open communication with their children and other youths.
“We just need to talk to our kids and support them because their world is way different than ours,” said Lenzendorf. “Obviously, there’s a lot of things out there [adults] don’t realize is [sic] going on.”
Adams had a clear message for adults: be vigilant. The room became a collection of jerry-rigged deceptions; nooks and crannies were filled with cigars, alcohol bottles and paraphernalia, many of which were, as the exhibit intimated, hidden in plain sight.
Adams picked up a toilet paper roll from the trash then explained how it can be used to mask smoking.
“They can put fabric softener sheets in here, and then you can blow through it, and it won’t smell.”
She grabbed a deodorant can and a washcloth next to the bed.
“They spray this into the cloth, then inhale it.”
Adams said a shirt with references to substance use or stickers on a lap top were not clear indicators of drug use on their own, but a confluence of signs was a concern.
“When they’re wearing things with substances [on them], it might be time for a talk,” she said.
Health Officer Sonya Lenzendorf said there are companies that make hooded sweatshirts and other apparel with concealed smoking devices.
Adams showed visitors a flash that looked like an energy drink can.
The open house also included a tour of the department’s location and a meet-and-greet with staff.
Community Health Navigator Monica Horner said the public health office handled a myriad of issues for county residents.
“At the end of the day, we want the people of Crawford County to have less stress in their lives.”
Horner said public health staff can assist people with a wide array of problems, connect them to needed services, and get them support. The problems could be big or small; they could have life-changing events or constant concerns.
“Sometimes, it’s just the little minutia they can’t handle during the day.”
“Every public health office is different in every county,” said Lenzendorf. “It’s really to meet the needs of each county.”
She said the public health office wanted to open its doors to give the public a learning opportunity and to help bridge the gap between services and people who need them.
The Hidden in Plain Sight exhibit will be open to the public in Gays Mills on April 20.
