TEEN SAYS "GET OVER YOUR DENIAL"

To the editor;

As much as parents like to imagine that their children are angels,
they're not. I think it is important that parents are fully aware of
what's happening in our community. Too many young people are turning
to drugs and alcohol to "get away" from reality, or have a "good''
time. If parents aren't turning their heads, they're blaming someone
else's daughter or son.

Now when it comes to situations like these, I am fully aware of what's
going on. I've been in the situation where I was the reason someone
else's kid had a drug problem.

How is this accusation fair, when the person chose to do it? Or how
can you tell someone that they've influenced your daughter or son to
do something when their almost three years older than that person?

The people in this community need to wake up and lay their hands down
on this issue. There's no beating around the bush: the youth in this
town have a drug problem, and it's starting as young as 10!

It's ridiculous when parents say that their kid can drink, but not do
drugs. It's the same thing just consumed differently.

You have to be legal age for a reason, no matter how mature you think
your kids are.

The price that they'll be paying later in life is too high. It needs
to be stopped, or at least slowed down, and parents need to realize
that the secrets are not hard to hide these days, no matter how small
the town is.

Know whom your kids are hanging around with, and know what they are
doing when they're over sleeping at a friends house.

I'm writing this letter to urge parents to recognize the signs. They
are there, all you have to do is get over your denial.

Teenage student

Barriere, BC