WARNING SIGNS HELP IDENTIFY DRUG ABUSE

Dear Readers: Yesterday I printed a letter from Gen. Barry McCaffrey
(Ret.), director of national drug control policy in Washington, D.C., in
which he asked parents to act upon 10 New Year's Resolutions to Raise
Drug-Free Kids. Space limitations prevented me from printing the warning
signs he said parents should look for. Although there is no single factor
for drug use, warning signs of a potential problem include:

(1) Drop in academic performance

(2) Lack of interest in personal appearance

(3) Withdrawal, isolation, depression, fatigue

(4) Aggressive, rebellious behavior

(5) Hostility and lack of cooperativeness

(6) Deteriorating relationships with family

(7) Change in friends

(8) Loss of interest in hobbies and/or sports

(9) Change in eating/sleeping habits

(10) Evidence of drugs or drug paraphernalia (e.g., needles, pipes, papers,
lighters)

(11) Physical changes (e.g., runny nose not from cold, red eyes, coughing,
wheezing, bruises, needle marks)

Help is available: Call this number for information: 800-666-3332 and ask
for the new Growing Up Drug Free Parents Guide. Call the hot lines for
help: 800-662-HELP or 800-821-HELP. Or surf for information on the Web at
www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov

or www.health.org or www.drugfreeamerica.org.