PARENTS SPEAK OUT ABOUT METH

Editor, The Record:

We are a group of parents who have children and youth involved in
alcohol and drug use. We use "tough love" with our children and
provide support, outreach and information to parents. We help to build
skills and confidence in parents, increasing their abilities to live
and deal with their kids.

We are concerned parents who want to get the message out to the
community that crystal meth is a killer. No kids are safe from its
effects, and it has devastating effects on parents and families. We
want to dispel the myth that it is not a problem in our community. The
reality is that it is wide-spread and right in our own backyard.

We do not fit the misinformed stereotype of the kind of parents whose
children would use drugs. We represent all walks of life, from working
class to professionals. Some of our children were top students at
school. We, as a group, are willing to expose ourselves in order to
facilitate prevention through education. We can answer questions and
share with others what we have learned and experienced. Parents need
to be able to recognize the signs and symptoms of substance abuse in
their children. Parents also need to know that they and their children
are not "failures."

We are wanting to take action to get our community back. We support
the efforts of Fraser House and the Rotary Clubs in facilitating the
upcoming crystal meth forum on Sept. 29, and we hope others in the
community will join in the efforts to create and maintain our
children's and community's health and safety.

Parents Night Out

Mission