PARENTS TOLD OF DRUG ABUSE SIGNS

The idea of drugs being available to high school students can be
enough to petrify any parent, but a presentation at Central collegiate
last week was designed to take away some of the fear and uncertainty
and leave parents with some concrete knowledge to identify drug use,
if and when, they see it in their children.

"This is an issue that is becoming quite relevant in our community and
in our school," said Central principal Trevor Smith. "It's prevalent,
it exists and it's something we have to deal with. My concern is that
the kids can't learn when they're under the influence of drugs."

Smith said that there was no intention to "start a witch hunt," with
the meeting, but simply arm parents with the information that can help
them help schools identify and eliminate drug use.

The presentation, organized by the Central collegiate Parent Advisory
Council, consisted largely of a slide show compiled by Central teacher
Kerry Johnson, John Chisholm teacher Kim Cobb, and Const. Trish Seman
of the Moose Jaw Police Service.

Johnson, who has received drug identification training alongside RCMP
officers, used the slides to explain the seven classes of drugs as
well as their symptoms, and some general warning signs that your child
might be using drugs. He said he was inspired to share the information
after coming across parents of drug-users who were completely unaware
of what was happening.

Some of those signs include changes in behaviour, changes in personal
hygiene, physical changes like weight loss, sudden changes in friends,
a loss of interest in hobbies and a change in school
performance.

"Students using drugs, you will see that their grade performance is
going to drop," said Johnson.

He warned parents that many of these things occur normally as part of
adolescence, but that they should be wary of several indicators at
once or atypical patterns that develop.

"Let's not be parental narcs. We want to be level-headed about what
we're doing," he said adding that education is the key to knowing the
difference between a problem and a bad day. "Are you seeing something
that's unusual for your child?"

When it comes to determining if a person is impaired, Johnson said one
of the most obvious signs common to all drugs is their inability to
multi-task, or divide attention.

"They (drugs) have a tendency to make you focus on one thing." He used
the example of driving. "While they're concentrating on staying
between the lines, they've run three stop signs and they're going 80."

Johnson covered the effects of CNS depressants, such as alcohol, CNS
stimulants, like cocaine, as well as hallucinogens, PCP, narcotic
analgesics, inhalants and cannabis, explaining what to look for to
know if they are being used.

Seman said that the two drugs of choice among Moose Jaw teens are
alcohol and marijuana, but that parents need to be aware that cocaine
is becoming more available in the city.

"It's out there and it's something that we're very concerned about in
our schools and our community," she said. She warned that cocaine is a
difficult drug to detect as few kids are injecting it, but rather are
smoking or snorting it, and it passes quickly through the system.
"It's a quick, intense high and a quick crash, so it's easy for them
to go do it at lunch hour."

While on stimulants people will be excessively talkative, nervous,
restless and unable to concentrate. Some of the physical signs can
include a loss of appetite, a runny and inflamed nose and insomnia.

Johnson said one of the reasons that cannabis is a popular drug is
because of society's seeming acceptance of it.

"This one is probably one of the most misunderstood issues of our
time," said Johnson, explaining that some parents dismiss the effects
of pot because they may have experimented with it themselves. He said
the difference is that the concentration of THC in one joint today is
between 24 to 36 per cent, whereas it ranged from one to three per
cent in the 1970s.

"It is not 'just a little grass,'" Johnson said. "What it's doing is
way different."

He explained that the low concentration of the '70s was equivalent to
drinking a beer, but today's joint has the effect of consuming 12
ounces of whisky.

One of the most obvious signs of marijuana use is the smell, but users
also exhibit bloodshot eyes, an impaired perception of time and
distance, disorientation, relaxed inhibitions, increased appetite and
sometimes paranoia. Any appearance of marijuana paraphernalia should
be a warning sign to parents.

Parents who attended were given the opportunity to ask questions. One
of the major concerns was the use of alcohol at supervised parties.
They asked Seman if any legal consequences could come from parents
allowing minors to drink on their property.

Seman said a ticket could be issued under the alcohol and gaming
regulations act for selling or giving alcohol to a minor, but that a
civil suit was a greater threat should any accidents occur.

"You're opening yourself up to liability and getting sued," she said.
"You're going to be responsible for those kids if they're in your home."

Johnson said proactive measures by parents and schools are the key to
cutting down drug use.

"We want the kids to know that we're not going to stand for drugs in
our schools," he said. "If they're not going to get away with it here
and they're not going to get away with it at home, then we're starting
to win the battle."