Pubdate: Fri, 24 Oct 2003
Source: Sun Herald (MS)
Copyright: 2003, The Sun Herald
Contact:  http://www.sunherald.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/432
Author: Mike Cummings

What You Can Do

TACKLING DRUGS AS A COMMUNITY

GULFPORT - Citing figures from the coroner's office, Fred Walker, chairman 
of the Long Beach Drug Task Force, says it's time to recognize that drug 
abuse is a major public health problem in South Mississippi.

"There were 45 deaths from drug overdoses in Harrison County last year," he 
said, during a recent meeting with The Sun Herald. "We're on pace to 
possibly top that this year... Imagine the reaction if the West Nile virus 
killed 46 people in Harrison County. We'd have mosquito netting all over 
the place."

Kathy Best, director of the Jackson County Children's Services Coalition, 
said parents must be focused on stopping drug use among children.

"I think the first thing parents can do is stop turning a blind eye," Best 
said. "It is a problem, and adults in many ways perpetuate it by not 
complaining.

"... It's time for society as a whole to take a stand that we want to raise 
a generation that will be substance-free."

Walker said South Mississippi needs to abandon the "Mardi Gras culture" 
that makes excessive drinking seem acceptable.

"Anything goes; it's OK for a 50-year-old to be blind drunk on the street 
if it's Mardi Gras," he said. "... We need role models. We parents need to 
take it very seriously and not send mixed messages."

Charlie Wood, an assistant district attorney in Harrison County, said 
adolescent drinking and drug abuse permeates both upper and lower income 
communities.

"A lot of people think that's all going on in a few impoverished poor 
neighborhoods, it's not happening in Bayou Oaks," he said. "That's not true."

He said parents need to be strict about not allowing their children to 
drink alcohol.

"I know people who will let their children have a wine cooler or maybe a 
beer at 15 years old at home, and they'll say, 'Well, I know where he's 
drinking or I know where she's drinking,' but that's ridiculous. I think it 
needs to be zero-tolerance."

Shannon Harrel, a recent graduate of D'Iberville High School, did not drink 
or use drugs during high school. She credited her parents for setting a 
good example.

"You can't tell your kids that they're not allowed to drink and smoke if 
you're going to do it," Harrel said. "If they see you going out and getting 
drug and smoking cigarettes, they're going to look up to you and think it's 
OK."

The Rev. Nathaniel Jeanpierre, a community activist in Gulfport, said he 
too often sees parents who are unwilling to take responsibility for raising 
their children.

"In my community, we've got parents who are drug addicts and alcoholics who 
send their kids to school and expect the teachers to raise them," he said.

Walker said a heartfelt conversation between a parent and child can prevent 
drug and alcohol abuse.

"One word from a parent can go a long way," he said. "We need to set 
standards by sitting them down, saying, 'Do you know how hurt or 
disappointed I'd be if you used drugs?' "

Reaching Out, Getting Organized

Here is a list of ideas, complied during a recent meeting of The Sun 
Herald's anti-drug task force, of how to protect children from drugs and 
alcohol:

Don't leave children without adult supervision.

Be involved in your children's extracurricular activities.

Get involved in the lives of children; for example, coaching Little League 
sports.

Seek professional help for your child early on if you suspect he has a drug 
problem or is depressed.

Set a standard for your child: "Do you know how disappointed I'd be if you 
used drugs?"

Churches must reach out beyond their walls into the community. They should 
provide after-school care.

Get to know the patrolmen in your neighborhood. Welcome their presence and 
keep them informed.

Organize your neighborhood. Report crimes. Call about underage drinking 
parties in your neighborhood.

Judges should require children to attend drug education classes as part of 
sentencing for drug-related violations.

Elect candidates who support strict enforcement of underage drinking laws.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens