Pubdate: Wed, 05 Nov 2003
Source: Columbia Missourian (MO)
Copyright: 2003 Columbia Missourian
Contact:  http://www.digmo.org/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2282
Author: Caroline Killmer

ASHLAND GROUP TARGETS TEEN DRUG USE

The Key Is Parental Awareness, Some Said, But Not Many Parents Attended The 
Task Force Meeting

Turnout at the first Drug Task Force meeting in Ashland was a 
disappointment to the 18 people who showed up.

Those present were all members of organizations involved in reducing 
tobacco, alcohol and illegal substance use among Ashland's youth. Members 
of the Boone County Sheriff's Department and the Ashland Police Department, 
the PTA president, City Administrator Ken Eftink and some teachers were all 
there.

"I think it's a disappointing turnout, given how much publicity there was," 
school board representative Bill Powell said about how few parents 
attended. Parental awareness of adolescent behavior and substance use is 
the focus of the task force.

Recent surveys conducted by the task force and the Community Alternative 
Action Team showed that southern Boone County teens "are above the national 
average for adolescent substance abuse." Survey data was analyzed by 
Powell, chairman of the task force.

The team also sent surveys to parents to determine their perception of 
substance abuse among students. Powell concluded that "parents are 
seriously out of touch regarding the extent of tobacco use, alcohol use and 
drug use at the middle school level." He said data indicated that parents 
had a better grasp about high school students' substance use.

"Each survey reveals the disconnect between what the parents think, 
especially about middle-schoolers and what the kids say the reality is," 
Powell said. "I think a lot of parents are apathetic because they think the 
problem is nowhere near as great as it is."

The surveys for parents included feedback options, in which many parents 
indicated concern with teenage consumption of alcohol and tobacco. Despite 
the poor turnout at the task force meeting, parents also indicated a desire 
to get involved.

One idea the team considered would allow willing parents to sign a 
statement requesting notification if their children are seen involved in 
any underage or illegal activity. But Mike Hall, an elementary school 
teacher and coach, was doubtful about the effectiveness of such a list.

"I think there are a lot of parents in our community that would still not 
believe it," Hall said.

If the City Council approves future task force plans, there may be more 
implementation of what Ashland police officer Mason Lumpkins called 
"shoulder tap enforcement," where minors would volunteer to be "decoys" and 
try to purchase alcohol as a way to verify whether individual stores are in 
compliance with regulations. Decoy minors could also ask adults to purchase 
alcohol for them.

"It works both ways," Lumpkins said. "We're not just trying to get businesses."

Lumpkins said this type of enforcement would have to be done by Ashland 
police. State liquor control, he said, "never has and never will probably 
do any kind of compliance checks. It's just not politically feasible for them."

A survey of the Ashland class of 2003 showed that 79.8 percent of that 
class felt that alcohol was easy to obtain, Lumpkins said. The national 
average is 73.5 percent.

Lumpkins works full time as a school resource officer with grades five 
through nine. His job involves regular classroom education to reduce drug 
use through a program called Project Northland.

"We had DARE when I first started here," Lumpkins said, "but we wanted 
something more research-based."

The task force plans to evaluate Project Northland in the future to 
determine its effectiveness in preventing substance abuse.

Powell also pointed out the need to inform parents that their own behavior 
toward substance use can affect their children.

" 'Let's not be hypocrites' is part of the message I'd like to see," Powell 
said.

The experiences teacher Sue Adams has had in her own classroom with 
Lumpkins illustrate that point.

"The kids will sit in class and we're talking about open containers, that 
it's illegal to have an open container," she said. "Some kids will go, 'Oh 
no! That's not true, Mrs. Adams. My father drives with an open beer all the 
time.' They will argue with Mason and me that no, we are wrong about that 
law because they live it."
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