HER FRIENDS' KIDS ARE SMOKING POT: SHOULD SHE TELL?

Dear Ann Landers: My 13-year-old son has a problem at school. He says most
of the boys in his eighth-grade class smoke pot and drink alcohol. My son
does not want to be around those boys, which is good, but consequently, he
has few friends.

I am close to the mothers of two of the boys my son is avoiding. He is
positive they smoke pot, and I believe him. The parents of these boys caught
them drinking just the other night, so their behavior is no surprise.

Here's my question: Should I warn their mothers about the pot-smoking and
risk having my son accused of snitching and losing two friends of my own, or
should I stay out of it?

- -- St. Louis Predicament

Dear St. Louis: Say nothing to the parents about your suspicions. Since you
are close to the mothers and see them socially, you can bring up the subject
in a general way. Tell them you've heard there's a lot of pot-smoking at
school, and ask if their children have been affected. You should also
discuss the issue with the school authorities (without naming names) and
find out if there are any programs in place to help curb this destructive
behavior.