BROOMFIELD GROUP WORKS TO CURB YOUTH SUBSTANCE ABUSE

Dan Powers stood in front of a small group of parents who braved the snow
and ice Oct. 29 to recount how he ended up there.

Powers, who is now a youth mentor in Boulder, talked about experimenting
with drinking in middle school, even keeping a bottle in his locker. He
told them about the first time he tried marijuana during band tryouts at
Boulder High School and about being a homeless drug dealer, living day to
day in friends' apartments or on the Pearl Street Mall.

He finished up with how he turned his life around.

The parents appeared taken aback by what they heard and when the
question-and-answer time rolled around at the Broomfield Coalition on
Substance Abuse's meeting, a concerned mother asked Powers what she could
do to make sure her child didn't turn out like him.

"Nothing," Powers replied with a knowing snicker .

The questions and answers were no surprise to Broomfield Coalition on
Substance Abuse co-chairman Bob Kent, who said naivete by parents is the
status-quo.

"Denial of a problem or saying it's kids just being kids are misconceptions
we usually hear," Kent said. "Many parents feel as long as it's not
affecting good grades or sports performance it's nothing to worry about.
They're not willing to admit there is a problem."

A 2002 Boulder County Health Department study on risk behavior shows
substance abuse is still a major factor in a child's school life, with a
total of 46 percent having tried cigarettes, 73 percent having tried
alcohol and 36 percent having tried marijuana.

Enter the Broomfield Coalition on Substance Abuse, an out-shoot program of
the Boulder Valley Schools Task Force, a network of programs and people
whose aim is curbing drug use and risk behavior in Broomfield.

The coalition's mission it threefold - create awareness in the community,
educate parents, students and the community and provide a support network
for those dealing or having dealt with substance abuse.

And while Kent admits much of what Powers said is true he doesn't hold the
same extreme opinion that preventing children from involving themselves
with drugs is hopeless.

"It's like those 'parents are the anti-drug' commercials," Kent said.
"Parents have to be involved with their kids, and that's what we're here
for - to provide support to parents so they can curb their kids."

While the drug problem comes to its pinnacle in high school, the aim of the
coalition is at middle school, where drugs first rear its head. It's a
preemptive strike.

Nearly 60 percent of ninth graders have tried alcohol and 30 percent have
tried cigarettes, according to the survey.

It's not just the parents of children who have or do use drugs the
coalition looks to reach out to, but to all, because as Kent said, "It's
everyone's problem."

The coalition will meet throughout the year reaching out to parents. The
group is also accessible through school principals in Broomfield's two
major school districts, Boulder Valley and Adams 12.

Kent urges parents to become involved, even if drugs aren't a problem in
their child's life, because they can be a resource for someone else.

"If parents can't help their own kids they need to find someone who can,"
Kent said.