WE CAN'T LET UP FOR AN INSTANT IN THIS WAR

Mention the word "war" and you can easily start one of your own.
Nationally, the topic is as controversial and as volatile as any in our
vocabularies.

But there is one war that is neither controversial nor likely to start an
argument. It is one that every one of us should be waging constantly,
without ever letting up, because it is too important to the future of our
country and to the good health of our citizens for us ever to relent. That
is the war on drugs, particularly as it applies to teenagers. Teens who
experiment with drugs can easily be starting a pattern of destructive
behavior that can lead to dire consequences - at the present moment and in
the long term as well.

The subject of teen involvement in drugs is one that national studies are
used to assess. The question is constantly being asked: Are we winning or
losing the war?

As reporter Mark Scott pointed out in a Page 1 story this week, it all
depends on whom you ask.

A federal study indicates that drug use among teenagers has declined almost
7 percent over the past year and by 17 percent since 2001. "There are now
600,000 fewer teens using drugs than there were in 2001, said John Walters,
director of the National Drug Control Policy in a report issued by the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services. That would be wonderful news - if
it's true.

But when Scott interviewed several area students, he got some answers that
were entirely different - and disturbing.

A Mentor High School student said she believes drug use is going up. "Kids
are starting to drink and use drugs in the seventh and eighth grades," the
18-year-old said.

When told of the national statistics, the student advised not to give too
much credence to any teen survey.

"When a test like that comes out, a lot of students don't take it
seriously," she said.

One of Lake County's chief drug enforcement officers, Deputy Sheriff Pat
Willis, pointed out that it is difficult to obtain accurate information
from teen surveys.

Referring to two questions asked in an anonymous survey of seventh-graders,
he noted that "what we have found, repeatedly, is that kids think in the
area of 85 to 90 percent of seventh-graders have tried alcohol, and 70 to
75 percent are currently using alcohol." When speaking for themselves,
however, 40 percent of teens say they have tried alcohol, and 13 percent
say they are using it. Whichever number may be correct - assuming either
one is - it represents a disturbing pattern.

Meanwhile, in Ashtabula County, Sheriff William Johnson said of teen drug
use, "I don't see it declining at all."

"Meth is probably the drug of choice," he said, "because you can get the
ingredients at your local drug store. But we also still see marijuana and
cocaine."

Those are unsettling comments. Many of those interviewed asserted that the
more kids become involved in healthy activities, such as sports and clubs,
the less the temptation to experiment with drugs.

A Madison High School senior said involvement in activities can prove to be
a great alternative to becoming involved with alcohol and drugs. "For me,
sports and clubs play a huge part in keeping kids off drugs," the
18-year-old said.

Deputy Willis agreed. "It provides someone else that they can have a
conversation with and talk to," he said.

School officials pointed out that parental involvement is vital. "If
parents are involved, the kids will either prolong the time before they
start or they might experiment but get right off them," said Steve
Hertrick, an adviser with Madison High's safe and drug-free program. Every
aspect, every battle in the war on drugs is important. Every step and every
involvement to keep kids from experimenting is critical. The war on drugs,
especially as it applies to teenagers, is one we cannot afford to lose.

Pursuit of the war must be relentless. Any parent who is not doing his or
her part to keep kids drug free contributes to the problem. Winning the war
must be one of our No. 1 national priorities.