PARENTS STUDY HOW TO KEEP KIDS DRUG-FREE

A small group of adults huddled away in the corner of a library
talked about marijuana, ecstasy, alcohol and an assortment of other drugs.

But they weren't planning on causing any trouble. In fact, they were
hoping to prevent trouble from happening to any of their children.

"I was really looking for current information," said Randee Farquhar
of Shady Shores, noting that a lot has changed in terms of drug
awareness since her high school days.

Farquhar was one of about a dozen parents who met Friday night in
the Crown-over Middle School library for Drug Awareness Parent's
Night, in honor of Drug Awareness month and the upcoming Red Ribbon Week.

Farquhar said she needed the education and was surprised more
parents did not show up for the same reason.

"Do all these parents not think their kids are going to do drugs?"
she asked. "That we're immune to it because we're in Denton?"

Farquhar said she certainly hopes her middle-school-aged son steers
clear of drugs, but the only way for her to be sure is if she is
equally knowledgeable about the subject.

Aside from learning the various types of drugs available to youth
these days, drug slang, and different ways to identify drug users,
parents also heard some startling statistics -- like that the
average age for first use of marijuana is 13, according to some figures.

Jimm Harper, a special education counselor in the Birdville school
district, was among three presenters, all of whom were at some time
involved in Sante Fe Adolescent Services, a drug counseling service
based in Fort Worth.

The counselors talked to parents not only about the "harder" drugs,
like cocaine, but also touched the three main "gateway" drugs --
marijuana, alcohol and cigarettes.

Youth often turn to drugs, both legal and illicit substances, not
only for peer acceptance but also to deal with problems in their
lives, Harper said.

"Kids at this age have so much going on physiologically," he said.
"One part of that is learning how to cope."

But developmentally, they are too young to realize their growing
dependence on drugs and are not learning proper ways to manage their
feelings, he said.

Several schools in the district are taking advantage of Red Ribbon
Week as a way to remind students of why it is important to be drug
free, as well as inform them about potential risks they are likely to face.

"They [middle school students] have a lot to deal with," said
Crownover Principal Dianne Blair. "It's a tough time in their life."

The drug problem is spreading in towns and schools everywhere, she said.

"We all have to deal with that," she said. "It's in our communities.
And if it's in our communities, it's in our schools."

Prevention starts with education, said Angie Breuer, a student
assistance counselor at Crownover.

"Kids don't think about long-term consequences. It's our job as
educators and parents to see what's going to happen in the next five
minutes, what's going to happen long-term, if they don't change this
behavior," she told parents Friday. "We can't make choices for the
kids, but if you give them the right education and tools, they'll
have a better chance to make the right decision."

Red Ribbon Week Events

Several schools around Denton are planning events in recognition of
Red Ribbon Week, a national drug-free celebration starting today
through Oct. 31. Schools in the Denton area will be hosting events
until early November. They include:

- - Borman Elementary School: The Drug Enforcement Admin-is-tration is
landing its helicopter on the Borman campus, 1201 Parvin St., at 10
a.m. today.

- - Evers Park Elementary School: The Student Council and Renaissance
officers from Denton High School will give a smokeless tobacco
presentation to the fifth-grade classes at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday [Oct.
25] at the Evers Park campus, 3300 Evers Parkway.

- - Navo Middle School: The school, at 1701 Navo Road, is planning a
variety of activities from Oct. 30 through Nov. 3. The activities
include Red Ribbon wristbands on Oct. 30, "Reach for the Stars, Not
Drugs" day on Oct. 31, "Living Drug Free Is No Sweat" day on Nov. 1,
and "Team Up Against Drugs" on Nov. 2 and Nov. 3. Students who wear
their wristbands all week will be eligible for a variety of door prizes.

For other specific events, parents are asked to contact their
children's schools.

Source: Denton School District

Drug Awareness Resources Online

In addition to school counselors and health officials, some of the
following Web sites can offer parents more information about various
drugs, their effects and how to talk about drugs to children:

- - www.theantidrug.com : sponsored by the National Youth Anti-Drug
Media Campaign

- - www.drugfree.org : sponsored by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America

- - www.dea.gov : U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration

- - www.freevibe.com : sponsored by the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign

- - www.samhsa.gov : Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services
Administration (a branch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)

- -
http://www.mass.gov/dph/bsas/publications/familyguide/talkguideknow.htm
: a guide to talking with preteens about alcohol, tobacco and drugs,
from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health

- - www.erowid.org: not an anti-drug Web site, but a member-supported
organization with the stated mission of "Documenting the Complex
Relationship Be-tween Humans & Psycho-actives"

SOURCE: Crownover Middle School counselors