PARENTS NEED TO LOOK FOR SIGNS OF DRUG USE

Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Council (NDC) Cathy
Chesnut said parents, teachers and caregivers need to carefully look
for signs that children may be consuming drugs and alcohol.

Considering that 31 percent of students in middle and high school
consume alcohol, 9.5 percent smoke marijuana, 6.7 uses tobacco, and
6.9 uses inhalants parents need to pay close attention. The
statistic of children's misuse of drugs and alcohol were revealed
in a survey conducted by the NDC in 2002.

The number of children, drinking alcohol has levelled off when
compared to the 1998 survey: however, the number of children who
have reportedly gone on 'drinking binges' has increased.

Ms Chesnut said that many parents do not know what signs to look out
for and as a result, children are developing almost foolproof
methods of concealing their habits.

"These children will wear sunglasses, bring extra clothing to
school, bring cologne, they'll do anything to mask what they are
doing because they know that what they're doing is wrong," she said.

She added that sometimes the evidence is right in front of the adult
but they do not know what to look for. Ms Chesnut said that there
are times when children even do drugs in the class while the
teachers are oblivious to what is happening in front of them.

The NDC's CEO said students who snort chalkboard cleaner mask their
action by concealing the inhalant in empty bags of potatoes chips.

She said that teachers have reported seeing children with empty
potato chip bags but they never suspected what was happening.

"They see the fluffy whip can around the schoolyard and at home but
they believe that the student use them to play-fight. We had to show
them how they use it to get high," Ms Chesnut added.

She noted too that it is not always easy for parents to monitor
their children especially now that the drugs with which they grew up
knowing have changed, and the methods of distributing and delivering
them have become more efficient.

"Certain drugs can be shipped on ordinary mailing stamps to children
and the parents won't know that it is happening," she said.

On the other hand, Ms Chesnut said that a number of parents are
neglecting to take a longer look at and talk with their children
about drug use as well. She said that most parents fail to turn up
at HSA or PTA meetings where drug related topics are discussed.

The CEO said the NDC would be printing brochures for parents and
guardians to help update them on what children are up to and what
signs to look for to tell if their children are using drugs.