CAN YOU SEE THE SIGNS?

You've talked to your kids about drugs. You've armed them with information,
statistics, and everything else at your disposal to help them to make wise
and informed decisions about drugs.

You've told them to 'just say no!'

But how do you know if it's worked?

In this week's special report, on page 15-18, we've tried to go beyond the
'drugs are bad and here's why' angle that people have already heard
countless times, and often tune out.

Instead, we've tried to provide information that can help parents, family
and friends to recognize whether their children, or just someone they know,
is using, and covering it up.

It's about prevention, through increased awareness.

We've tried to be as comprehensive as possible, but if there's one thing
we've learned (and believe us, we've learned a lot) through our research,
it's that we could fill an entire paper, and then some, and still not cover
all the angles.

There's no question our readers will think of a few we didn't come up with,
as well as others we did.

That said, we've done the best we can to arm you, our readers, with as much
information as possible, through both pictures and words, to help you to
pick up on the signals that can accompany drug use.

One thing we wondered, prior to embarking on this project, was how far can
you, or should you, push someone if you suspect them of using drugs?

How far is too far?

Unfortunately, there are no easy answers - no clear cut lines.

As you'll discover as you read through our four-page special report, there
are many things that can signal an emerging drug habit.

But foremost among them is a significant change in behaviour.

If your child, brother, sister, parent, aunt, uncle, best friend -
basically, anyone you feel you know well enough to judge their behavioural
patterns - exhibits a substantial, continuing and inexplicable change in
behaviour, you should take notice.

It may not be an indication of drug use, but it is an indication that
something in this person's life has changed significantly.

It's most likely in your best interest, and theirs, to find out what that
change is.

If someone you know or love is using, all you can do is make the effort to
help.

It won't always work, but you have to try.