PROGRAM GIVES KIDS PERSPECTIVE ON DRUGS

Officials Also Renew Safe Driving Message to Local Students

The "Meth is Death" campaign hit Clarksville High School Wednesday,
illustrating the devastating effects of methamphetamines to students.

"Meth is not a stranger to the United States, Tennessee or United
States' citizens," District Attorney General John Carney said
Wednesday. "It was used by the Germans to stay awake to fight the
U.S. during the war, and it was used by kamikaze pilots. It is a
killer -- explosive, dangerous -- and it will ruin your life."

The campaign, a joint effort between Carney's office and the
Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, first warned students of the
dangers of meth by informing them of chemicals used to produce the
drug.

A "Meth is Death" video shown to students indicated methamphetamines
are made with sinus medication and toxic chemicals such as nail
polish remover, rubbing alcohol, lye and battery acid.

David Parnell, who was to be a program speaker, was unable to make
the assembly.

Parnell, one of four Tennesseans in "Meth is Death," was scheduled to
elaborate on his attempted suicide, which was depicted in the video.
Parnell was to discuss his personal experience as an example of the
dangers and downfalls associated with methamphetamines -- living
with the everlasting effects of shooting himself which shattered
nearly every bone in his face.

Though he was unable to attend the CHS assembly, organizers said
Parnell plans to attend the 7 p.m. Wednesday event at Madison Street
Church of Christ.

Sheriff Norman Lewis said highlights of the video affected students
as intended when observing expressions on their faces or the
occasional gasps from the audience. Lewis said the program is
two-pronged -- educating the community about meth, as well as
focusing on traffic safety and accidents.

The Sheriff's Office is particularly concerned with avoiding traffic
fatalities involving students following 17 deaths of teens in wrecks
during 2004.

No fatal wrecks involving students have happened so far in
2006.

"We received $50,000 from the County Commission last year that we
have used -- last year and this year -- to add more traffic
officers," Lewis said.

One CHS student shared with her peers a first-hand experience about
how alcohol-related crashes can affect students.

Katie Weatherford recounted the night her twin brother, Kyle, was
killed in a car wreck in August of 2004 when his vehicle was struck
by another driver.

"Don't ride with someone under the influence," Weatherford said. "It
might be your last ride."

CHS students further grasped the concept of driving under the
influence by donning goggles that simulate drunken driving and
operating a golf cart.

Students first negotiated the course without the glasses, then their
peers' compared their driving abilities once the goggles were on.

"It wasn't that much different," Jeremy Bosley, a senior at CHS, said
of the exercise. "Except, I couldn't see where I was going as well,
and it made me a little dizzy."