PARENTS SET THE TONE FOR DRUGS IN HOME

More than a few elementary school children have approached Kenora Police
Const. Jeff Wiebe regarding their parents' drug use, partly out of concern
but mainly out of shame, Wiebe says.

The words of children who are embarrassed by their parents' actions have
spurred Wiebe to beseech parents to stop bringing drugs into the home and to
never use drugs in front of children.

"When you're smoking up in front of your 12-year-old, stop and think of what
you're doing," says Wiebe, who is the municipal force's community service
officer.

His duties include touring elementary schools as part of his VIP program,
which identifies many of the pitfalls children often encounter. Part of the
program is a talk on drugs which has led to a few students coming forward to
share tales of illicit substance use in their homes.

"Parents spend all this time teaching their children right from wrong and
then they set the completely wrong example. Children know what's going on,
they know it's wrong, and they're left to sort out these mixed messages. 'Do
as I say not as I do' doesn't cut it."

Wiebe says many students who have approached him about their parents'
misdeeds are plagued by guilt and he says it leaves police with their hands
tied.

"We can do very little because it's the children who would suffer if we bust
their parents based on information received from their child and we don't
want to put a young person in that type of situation."

Wiebe encourages parents who think marijuana is harmless to consider what it
leads to for many who start.

"Those who use marijuana are more likely to start experimenting with other
drugs than their peers who don't -- and if they see their role models doing
it, they're more likely to start. Once they get into that, parents find they
can't control what comes next."

"Parents need to look at the broader picture. Smoking cigarettes sets a bad
example, excessive alcohol use is just as bad. We really want parents to
stop and think about the example they're setting for the little eyes and
ears in their homes."