MOMS, DADS AND DRUGS: TALK TO YOUR KIDS FOR ALL OUR SAKES

When the president of the United States more or less implicitly admits
that, when young and foolish, he dabbled in the demon weed, it's not
surprising that a growing number of parents seem to be losing their
voices when it comes to warning their kids against the dangers of
drugs. Having grown up at the height of the drug culture themselves,
many of them probably aren't eager to face the question: "Oh, yeah,
well what did - or didn't - you do in high school, Dad?"

And frankly, we can't tell the guilty parent how to answer, because
the best answer may depend not only on the facts of the matter but
also on the relationship and the kid. In some cases, a forthright
admission may foster trust; in others, a deft evasion may be best.

But, for all our sakes, have the conversation. Don't avoid it for fear
of uncomfortable moments or from the mistaken belief that drug use is
a negligible risk. Yes, many of today's adults survived their fits of
youthful experimentation. Their children may or may not be so lucky.

Parents who dismiss the dangers - and 8 percent recently told
pollsters that they consider regular cocaine use to pose "slight or no
risk" - should rent the movie Traffic. Or, if they live here in North
Texas, they should refer to this week's news stories about the Zetas,
a drug cartel spawned from rogue elements of the Mexican military that
is credited with three slayings thus far in Dallas.

That's what we're supporting if we turn a blind eye while our children
take drugs. That's the kind of society we're building for them. Think
about it.