PARENTS HAVE TO FIGHT FOR ADDICTED CHILDREN

Re: "At 77, she's the mom of a crack addict," March 21.

Any mother with an addicted child has some familiarity with the
mother's heartache.

Her son is fortunate to have a family who still care enough to find
him and bring him home.

Hopefully, at some point he will know that it is time to move from
that deplorable situation, and that there is somebody there willing to
help him.

When my 14-year-old child was meth-involved and running away to
downtown streets, I too would go looking and find other parents and
children in the same situation. I would hear the theory that addicts
need to hit bottom before they get well.

At any age, how would any parent be able to abandon a child to the
streets and the consequences without fighting for his or her life? Is
it not the responsibility of a parent to love and help their children
through life's sometimes difficult situations?

I have, in the past three years, seen some of the results of this kind
of situation, including family discord, divorce and even death. It's
my belief that the ones who have a chance of survival are those
fortunate enough to have someone who holds on and doesn't let go.
There is still love in their life, and hope.

If there's one word of advice I would share, it's speak to them as the
person you loved in better times. Don't speak to the behaviour that
you see in the person before you now. Let them know that you are still
in their life.

Ruth McLaughlin,

Crystal Meth Society of B.C.

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