PARENTS' ROLE IN PM'S WAR ON DRUGS

PRIME Minister John Howard is to write directly to parents in a massive
national mail-out to enlist their help in the war against drugs.The letter,
part of a $20 million anti-drugs campaign, will push the message that no
one is immune from the problems of children taking drugs.

Confronting television and radio advertisements and a booklet for each
household stressing the importance of families in the fight against drugs
will make up the rest of the strategy, due to be launched by Mr Howard in
Sydney tomorrow.

"I'm going to be announcing a huge media campaign directed at parents
encouraging them to talk to their children about drugs, a mail-out on
Sunday," he told Melbourne radio yesterday. The message to parents would be
to be aware, talk to their children and understand it could happen to them.

Mr Howard warned some of the images in the advertising campaign would be
disturbing.

"Some of the ads will be quite confronting -- and they should be. I believe
in confronting ads on these issues," he said.

"Everybody agrees that the best cure is for people not to start taking
drugs in the first instance," Mr Howard said.

The booklet, to be included in the mail-out to each household, advises
parents on discussing the issue with their children.

It tells them to remain calm if a child admits to experimenting with drugs,
to be honest and set clear behaviour boundaries and to advise their
children to avoid a situation that could expose them to drugs.