PREVENTING ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE AMONG KIDS SHOULD BE A TOP PRIORITY

I'm a political junkie. I look forward to election years. From the
first day of primary campaigning right down to the last minute of
election-night returns, I'm paying attention to the process, to the
candidates, to their stands on issues.

Given my occupation, I'm naturally interested in the candidates'
perspectives on substance-abuse issues, and what I've noticed in
successive election cycles is progressively less focus on these topics.

Whatever happened to the so-called war on drugs? Have the problems
disappeared? Have we just accepted the fact that we are an addicted
nation that no longer has the will to confront such issues in meaningful ways?

I'm not particularly fond of the "war" metaphor, but I certainly
believe we need a redesigned and more enlightened effort, one that
incorporates decriminalization, drug courts, invigorated treatment
and much greater focus on preventing children from starting to use
alcohol and other drugs.

Children are far too vulnerable to the allure of alcohol and other
drugs to dismiss their experimentation with them as merely a rite of
passage. They need protection from this as teenagers, just as they
need protection from other dangers when they're younger. This is a
responsibility we must take to heart.

It is vital to understand that involvement with drugs --
particularly alcohol -- is the leading cause of death for teens.
When an adolescent dies in America, chances are it is related to
alcohol or other drug use, a sad commentary on our society.

So why aren't we all over this issue? Why don't we continue to
strengthen, fortify or expand our efforts? The answer, I'm afraid,
is apathy. It's the apathy that comes from thinking that "it won't
happen in my family" or worse yet, "kids will be kids, and there's
nothing you can do about it."

We need to reject these cop-outs and find the will to rethink our
strategies and renew our dedication to prevention.

The St. Louis-area chapter of the National Council on Alcoholism and
Drug Abuse is the lead agency in providing alcohol and drug-abuse
prevention services for young people in our region. Public apathy
makes our already-difficult job that much more difficult.

We see evidence of apathy at every level, starting with the federal
government. Funding for Safe and Drug-Free School Grants, the
federal program that underwrites prevention services provided by
school districts, has been cut by 34 percent in the past three
years. An additional 63 percent cut has been proposed for
the 2009-2010 fiscal year.

This makes no sense whatsoever. It's not as though we've reduced
alcohol and drug use to tolerable levels. Rates of underage drinking
and other drug use still are unacceptable. And beyond direct
substance abuse by young people, there's the issue of substance
abuse by their parents and other caregivers, contributing to abuse
and abandonment. Approximately 70 percent of the young people in
foster care are there because of adult alcohol or other drug issues,
yet another sad fact.

What's the answer? Clearly, we cannot sit back and hope that somehow
things will get better. Instead, we should make a renewed effort
based on the what we've learned about what kinds of approaches work
and what kinds don't. I'd also suggest a greater focus on local
efforts and local solutions. We cannot expect the feds to do it all.

Along these lines, residents of St. Louis County will have an
opportunity in November to approve Putting Kids First, a modest
sales tax initiative that would provide dedicated funds for youth
services. The measure is similar to those that already have been
enacted in the city of St. Louis and St. Charles and Lincoln counties.

Putting Kids First would allow St. Louis County the opportunity to
restore and improve such vital services as mental health and alcohol
and drug prevention programs aimed at the children of St. Louis
County. If there's anything more important than protecting
our kids, I don't know what it is.

Daniel K. Duncan is the director of community services for the St.
Louis-area chapter of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug
Abuse and a member of the Post-Dispatch Community Advisory Board.