NEW GUIDE AIMS TO HELP CURB KIDS' DRUG ABUSE

A NEW information guide will soon be distributed in Wanganui in the
hope that it will help curb youth drug use.

The Managers Guild Trust, formed by senior members of the New Zealand
police, is distributing a Drug and Alcohol Awareness journal to homes
in the region early next year.

The journal is designed to give parents all the latest information on
today's drug problems and is relevant to today's drug culture.
Campaign co-ordinator Jeremy Andersen said it was difficult for
parents to tell if their child was using drugs, especially with an
increasing variety of mind-altering substances on offer.

"Drugs like P and other methamphetamines are very addictive," he said.

"After this, young people are coerced into selling it to their
friends and can even resort to crime to pay for their own habits."

The early signs of drug abuse often elude parents, Mr Andersen said.

"All too often we hear from parents that it's other kids who use
drugs, not theirs.

"This is not a good mindset, as peer pressure can be a big thing in
any teenager's life."

The increase in the popularity of party pills in a worrying trend, he said.

"Whilst these drugs are legal, we see them as a gateway to harder,
more serious drug abuse."

The Managers' Guild Trust hopes that parents who receive the journal
will use it as a tool to make life safer for their families.

There is also a website that includes an electronic version of The
Managers' Guild Trust's previous campaigns, www.pmgt.org.nz