Former Miss Utah USA to deliver lecture on substance abuse prevention

SALT LAKE CITY — The Mayor’s Coalition on Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs has invited the public to a lecture on substance abuse prevention.

The Brown Bag Lunch Lecture Series talk will be delivered by Miss Utah USA 2007 and substance abuse prevention advocate Heather Anderson on Friday, Jan. 11, from noon to 1 p.m. in room 326 of the Salt Lake City-County Building, 451 S. State.

Anderson’s presentation for the series, “Losing a Loved One to Substance Abuse,” will explore issues of both personal loss and strategies to help individuals and families address substance abuse issues. In 2005, Anderson’s younger brother died of an accidental drug overdose, and she has since committed herself to education and outreach efforts aimed at preventing similar tragedies in other families.

Anderson, who won the Utah Power of Prevention Award in 2007, has worked extensively with the Utah Council for Crime Prevention, Drug Abuse Resistance Education, McGruff the Crime Dog national campaign and other groups working toward drug abuse prevention.