Drug Awareness and Prevention

About Us

Contact Information

Telephone

216.432.6620 M-F 9 am to 3 pm EST

Postal address

PO Box 603218 Cleveland, Ohio 44103

Electronic mail General Information:

Info@DrugAwarenssAndPrevention.org

History and Profile

Drug Awareness and Prevention Inc. was founded in 2007 by Nancy Pommerening , with the support of her family and friends. Born and raised in suburban Ohio, Nancy graduated from the Wickliffe City Schools. After winning several scholarships, she entered Kent State University in 1972, where she majored in Elementary Education. Nancy graduated summa cum laude and Valedictorian of her class in 1976 from the Honors College, and College of Education. Her proudest achievement was winning the President's Award for graduating as co-valedictorian.
Later that year, Nancy was hired for a teaching position at Harding Middle School. In 2005 the Ohio PTA's northeastern Ohio region honored Nancy by naming her District 11 Educator of the Year. She continued to teach for the Lakewood City Schools until she retired in 2008.
It was in 1999 that her involvement with this cause was ignited. As she and her husband, Ed, worked to develop his business in Cleveland, they were both introduced to the realities of illegal street drugs in America.

That year, they were confronted with a street drug dealer who had purchased property across the street from her husband's business. After more than five frustrating years, and numerous contacts made to a various local and federal officials, the cocaine and heroin dealer moved his drug and money laundering operations to a bar he purchased nearby. Within a year, he was back in the neighborhood, where he leased a commercial building and started up "The Weed Depot." This urban farmer's latest attempt to get rich off the backs of drug addicts would not last long. In October of 2007, much to their surprise, he was once again arrested, this time for illegal manufacture/cultivation of marijuana, trafficking, and drug possession. He was finally sentenced to two years in prison on January 8, 2009- one year for a gun specification, and one year for trafficking.

Watching the devastating effects of addiction and trafficking on inner city families is heartbreaking. So many people feel powerless. The elderly are at constant risk of violent crime as addicts look to feed their habit. Local law enforcement do their best to arrest the dealers, only to see new criminals replace the incarcerated.

As a teacher, Nancy knew illegal street drugs were affecting a growing segment of society. She began to see more and more dysfunctional children as a result of drug-addicted parents. In what can only be seen as divine intervention, she knew her next goal would be: Stopping these sociopathic, drug-dealing urban terrorists!

She joined local community groups to work for change. A regular member of the Cleveland Police 3rd District Community Relations Board meetings, she went on the become a board member for the St. Clair Superior Development Corp., and was assigned to the Safety Committee. In spite of her best efforts, and minor pockets of success, she realized that any lasting success would only come from a decrease in the demand for illicit drugs and effective interdiction strategies.

Her substance abuse prevention educational agenda represents the best long-term strategy for future generations. Her current work includes legislative advocacy before the Ohio General Assembly. Unfortunately, Ohio is in a minority of states that does not have adequate substance abuse prevention instruction for its children.

In addition, Mrs. Pommerening has become involved in many local prevention initiatives. One such program is Operation: Medicine Cabinet, a drug take back program that is helping to remove Rx drugs from family medicine cabinets.

“Generation Rx believes using medications prescribed by a doctor to another family member are a safe way to get high. They are wrong. Rx drug addiction to opiate-based pain pills has been linked to heroin addiction,” warned Mrs. Pommerening, the director of Drug Awareness and Prevention Inc. "Since 2007, unintentional drug poisoning has become and continues to be the leading cause of injury death in Ohio, surpassing motor vehicle crashes and suicide."

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