Pubdate: Fri, 02 Jun 2000 Source: Tribune Review (PA) Copyright: 2000 Tribune-Review Publishing Co. Contact: http://triblive.com/ Author: Vince Guerrieri STUDENTS: DRUG ADS DON'T WORK Programs aimed at stopping drug abuse among children often don't work, some students from area middle schools told the chairwoman of the state House Drug Task Force. "There's so much drug use, you can't stop it," said Wil Tillar, a Chartiers Valley Middle School student. Middle school students from Carlynton, Chartiers Valley, Moon Area and West Allegheny school districts and Holy Child Catholic School in Bridgeville spoke openly Thursday about drug abuse during a town hall meeting in Moon Township hosted by State Rep. Katie True, a Lancaster Republican. Comments from the meeting will be used to this fall to help secure money for prevention programs, including the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program. True, chairwoman of the House Drug Task Force, wants the middle school-based program to be expanded to junior and senior high school students. But Duke Van Pelt of Chartiers Valley told True he doesn't think the DARE program works. David Gorski, a West Allegheny student, said billboards with anti-drug slogans are "corny." "I've seen the billboards," he said. "They don't work." The drug task force, made up of House Judiciary Committee members, is convening town hall meetings across the state. True said drug education programs must be continued. "I look at every one of you and think that you're the only hope we have," said True, who has been involved with drug abuse prevention programs since the late 1970s. "I don't think we should throw our hands up and give up." Students said people use drugs for many reasons including boredom, peer pressure, rebellion or experimentation. Some parents smoke and drink in front of their children, students said. Jillian Lukac of West Allegheny said some parents have a "do as I say, not as I do" mentality, which children consider justification for using drugs. State Rep. Tom Stevenson, a Mt. Lebanon Republican, was among the other legislators who participated in the meeting. Although not a member of the drug task force, he said education - of parents as well as students - is the key to drug abuse prevention. "If parents knew there was a problem, they'd become more involved," he said. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake