PARENTAL CONTROL CURBS TEEN DRUG USE

Teen-agers with parents who enforce curfews and monitor their children's TV
and music habits are less likely to use drugs, says a report released
yesterday by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse.

"Mothers and fathers who are parents rather than pals can greatly reduce
the risk of their children smoking, drinking and using drugs," said Joseph
Califano, president of CASA, an umbrella national organization based at
Columbia University that studies substance abuse.

However, seven in 10 youths are living in households where their parents
have few or no rules for their children's behavior.

Teens with parents who are "hands off" and impose no restrictions on them
are at four times the risk to smoke, drink or use drugs than teens living
in a house with rules. Whether living with both parents or a single parent,
teens are better off with "hands on" parenting, the survey says.

"Parental power is the most underutilized tool in combating substance
abuse," Mr. Califano said, noting that many teens now say they can get
access to marijuana in a day or less.

Despite the conventional wisdom that teens want their parents to give them
freedom, the survey of 1,000 youths ages 12 to 17 found that teens with
parents who set rules have better relationships with their parents.

"Our teen-agers are giving parents permission to be parents," said Brent
Coles, president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, who joined Mr. Califano
in releasing the survey. "It seems simple, but it's hard work to be a parent."

The more times a week teens eat dinner with their parents - without the TV
on - the less the children's risk of becoming substance abusers. Youths who
do not eat with their parents have double the risk of using drugs than
those who eat dinner as a family every night.

For the sixth straight year, teens reported drugs as the greatest concern
facing people their age. The majority said they were worried about how
drugs could ruin their lives or cause harm.

The fact that drugs are illegal concerned only 2 percent of those surveyed.

Mr. Califano said he was disturbed by findings that 60 percent of high
school students attend schools where drugs are used, kept or sold.

Last year, 60 percent of teens said they would never use drugs. This year
only 51 percent said they planned not to use drugs.

Not surprisingly, the chances of teens using drugs more than doubles when
they attend a school with drugs in its halls and lockers.

"When parents feel as strongly about drugs as they do about asbestos, we
will have drug-free schools," said Mr. Califano, former secretary of
health, education and welfare.

Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley called for more funding from local, state
and federal governments to combat teen drug use.

"This is an urgent life-and-death issue," Mr. O'Malley said. "If this is a
war on drugs, then governors and Congress people need to start putting
dollars in it."

The CASA findings about parents fit "a lot with my observations,"
psychologist Sylvia Rimm said.

She explained that she recently was with several dozen high school students
who were asked about shock rapper Eminem's music.

"I was amazed that the kids said their parents didn't have any objection to
their listening to Eminem. Nobody said anything. And all I could think of
was, 'Come on. There should be some noes in the world.' "

Many parents have lost control of their children because they gave them too
many choices - too much power - when they were small, said Mrs. Rimm, a
syndicated columnist. This power isn't easily reclaimed when the children
become teens, which may explain why some parents feel powerless, she said.

Parenting children and teens takes different skills, said sociologist and
noted teen researcher Michael D. Resnick. He believes that parents can't
run the lives of their teens or the youths "will run in the other direction."

However, that doesn't mean parents should be "wimpy, laissez-faire, hands
off, 'Do what you want, dear,' " he said. "It means having clear
expectations and boundaries and providing the rationale and reason for
those boundaries, so the kids know where you are coming from and why."

Parents need more support from society, said Jim Feldman, spokesman for
Kids Peace: The National Center for Kids Overcoming Crisis, a nonprofit
organization based in Orefield, Pa.

"Parents and caretakers have a tremendous amount of power [over children],
and we need to empower that group of people with as many resources as we
can," he said. "It's a lot easier to point fingers than it is to empower."