TALK ABOUT DRUGS

There is good news and bad for parents concerned about their teens and drug
use this holiday season.

The good news is that fewer teenagers in America are smoking marijuana and
more kids have negative feelings about the drug. However, the recently
released Partnership for a Drug-Free America (PDFA) Attitude Tracking Study
found that the trial use of a new and dangerous drug, Ecstasy, has doubled
since 1995.

If you haven't heard of Ecstasy, it is a synthetic stimulant -- often
called "X," "E" or "the Love Drug." It is the new popular "club drug" often
used in dance clubs and all-night raves. According to PDFA it is now the
drug of choice for many teens in rural and suburban areas. And more
American teens have tried Ecstasy than heroin.

The consequences of Ecstasy use are only beginning to be understood.
Long-term effects may include nervous system damage and permanent memory
impairment. In the short term, depression can set in after an
Ecstasy-fueled weekend. A growing number of teens are dehydrating and
passing out after heavy use. You may have read about those who have died.
But teens living in the moment rarely care about such facts.

During the holidays, it is important for parents and other guardians of
teens and pre-teens to talk with them, either for the first time or to
reinforce previous conversations.

As chair of the Futures for Kids program in Illinois, I hosted nearly 100
teens from throughout the state at the Governor's Teen Summit 2000. They
told me what we've confirmed through this national study -- that more teens
are hearing anti-drug messages and paying attention. Overall teenage drug
use slowly declined over the past few years. But there are still millions
of teens trying and regularly using alcohol and other drugs, beginning when
they are as young as 9 or 10 years old.

Many teens think "everyone is doing it" and so they should, too. They need
to know that most teens are not using drugs. In fact, the PDFA study found
that trial use of marijuana was down about 10 percent. And the regular use
of marijuana by teens is down 13 percent since 1997. This year, more teens
believe marijuana will make them lonely, boring or act stupidly or
foolishly than ever before. That's good news.

Your children need to know that they are in the majority, so they can feel
confident saying "no" when someone encourages them to "join the crowd."
Although Ecstasy use is up, 90 percent of our young people have never used
it. This illustrates the point that there is no "crowd" drinking alcohol,
smoking or using other drugs. In other words, using drugs is not as popular
as our young people are led to believe.

Researchers tell us that when anti-drug attitudes are strong, drug use is
more likely to drop. Futures for Kids will be using this approach in an
exciting new statewide anti-drug campaign aimed at 10- to 14-year olds that
will be launched next year.

While we're seeing that such programs are working, the most effective
deterrent to drug use is still parents talking to their kids about alcohol,
tobacco and other drugs. Ask them how they feel about drugs. Listen to what
they have to say. Then empower them with information that will help them
stay drug-free this holiday season. Let's make this New Year the beginning
of brighter futures for the children of Illinois.

Laura Lynn Ryan

Illinois First Lady

Chair, Futures for Kids