ASK, DO TELL

Parents, if you want to know about drugs in your kid's life, why not just
ask them?

Your editorial ("Are you sure about your kid?", March 31) was right on target.

Far too many parents today fail to discuss drugs or drug use with their
teens. A disturbing trend nationwide is for parents to abdicate their role
as life guides for their children and opt instead for the school system to
do the job instead through the use of drug sniffing dogs and invasive drug
tests.

Parents, if you want to know about drugs in your kid's life, why not just
ask them? The only logical reason for them to lie or mislead is if they
distrust the person asking the questions.

If such a lack of trust exists between parent and child, there is work that
is needed. Solutions to such distrust are not likely to be found at the
bottom of a urine cup. They come through increasing honest and
non-judgemental communication.

Stephen Heath Drug Policy Forum of Florida Clearwater, Fla.