FERGIE: MY DRUGS PAIN

She counsels addicts and shares every parent's fears for her daughters

SARAH FERGUSON last night claimed she knew the "pain and trauma" of seeing
loved ones destroyed by drink and drugs.

The Duchess of York said she knew what Prince Charles was going through
with her nephew Harry.

Through her experience of work for a substance abuse project, she said: "It
is every parent's nightmare."

And she warned that every young royal is at risk from the scourge of drugs.

Mother-of-two Sarah said: "Prince Charles has been a good and loving
parent. But the fact is that your children are at risk no matter who you are."

Harry, 17, returned to Eton school this week after he admitted smoking dope
and getting "falling down" drunk last year while staying at his father's
Highgrove estate.

Charles took him to a rehab clinic in London to see the ravaging effects of
booze and dope on addicts.

In an exclusive interview with the Sunday Mail, Sarah 42, revealed that she
had taken part in counselling sessions to help recovering addicts.

She praised Prince Charles's reaction to the shock news of his younger
son's behaviour and said she had already warned her daughters Princess
Beatrice, 13, and Princess Eugenie, 11, of the dangers of both drugs and
alcohol.

She said: "I am speaking as a mother. And every mother knows the fear of
drugs and drink ruining their children's lives.

"You cannot start warning your children young enough."

Sarah, who has worked for 15 years supporting the treatment of addicts,
said: "I have seen first-hand the lives of loved ones wrecked by dependency
on alcohol and drugs.

"I have known families through my work with recovering addicts and through
my own circle of friends whose lives have been devastated by drink and drugs.

"I know what it is like - the pain and trauma, especially for those seeing
the life of their loved one disintegrate."

She declined to talk specifically about Prince Harry but she praised his
father for how he handled the revelations that would be "crushing" to any
parent.

She said: "As a mother of two rapidly growing daughters approaching their
teenage years, I share every parent's concern.

"It is terrifying that drugs seem to be as common as alcohol now and that
there seems to be little consensus by experts and politicians on how to
deal with it.

"It is inevitable that children will come into contact with alcohol, and
sometimes even drugs, and all that we, as parents, can do is to ensure that
they are aware of the dangers.

"As parents it is our responsibility to ensure that we are informed and
then able to talk to our kids about drink and drugs.

"But I also think it is vitally important to help build their self-esteem
to try and help guide them on how to cope with adverse peer pressure.

"A lot of youngsters who start taking drugs do so because of such pressure,
and that is a hard thing to counter.

"Drug and alcohol misuse pose the greatest threat to the health and
well-being of our children.

"Nearly every day we are reminded of the devastating effects of the dangers
and damage caused to our families and friends and our communities as a
whole. I've seen and felt it first-hand."

Sarah is patron of The Chemical Dependency Centre in London.

The charity operates a drop-in screening and referral clinic, one-to-one
counselling and group support sessions for up to 150 people per week.

It is at these meetings that Sarah has taken part in counselling addicts.

The centre's six month programme supports residents in returning to life in
the community.

The charity offers a 12-step programme not available on the NHS and is
seeking funds to expand its operations all over the UK.

Meanwhile, Harry's security is being stepped-up to ensure he does not fall
into the wrong company again.

His pot and booze sessions took place when he was 16 and left alone at
Highgrove in Gloucestershire and in a pub near his father's estate.

Yesterday one royal household source said: "Harry usually has one security
officer, while William has up to four.

"Prince Charles does not blame Harry's officer for what happened - he was
too busy half the time watching the car to see who Harry was with or what
he was doing.

"But his security is going to be beefed-up in future."