Pubdate: Thu, 18 Nov 2004
Source: La Canada Valley Sun (CA)
Copyright: 2004 La Canada Valley Sun
Contact:  http://www.mapinc.org/media/3576
Website: http://www.lacanadaonline.com/
Author: Jake Armstrong
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?115 (Cannabis - California)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

FORUM TACKLES DRUG, ALCOHOL USE

Parents, high school administrators and students met Monday to discuss 
problems with drugs and alcohol in the community and to share ongoing 
efforts to address such issues.

In the second such forum sponsored by the La Canada Flintridge Com-munity 
Prevention Council, Sheriff's Department school resource deputies offered 
their observations on the presence of drugs at La Canada High School and 
discussed their efforts to combat drug use.

"Do we have a drug problem? Yes," CPC Chair Will Moffitt told those in 
attendance. "If it affects one child, if it affects one family, then we 
have a drug problem."

Panelists at the forum, which also included Flintridge Prep Director of 
Human Development Michael Roffina and LCHS students who gave testimonials 
on their experiences with drinking and drug use, concluded that 
communication is a major factor in keeping children away from alcohol, 
marijuana, cocaine methamphetamine and other drugs.

Roffina said he is amazed by the number of parents who do not talk with 
other parents about their children's activities, specifically after-school 
parties where drugs or alcohol may be present.

"Where are the parties? Who's going to be there? Who's not going to be 
there?" are some of the questions Roffina said parents should ask. "It's 
really important to know where your kids are going to end up at the end of 
the night," he said.

He implored parents to be parents first and not friends.

"Kids really do need boundaries," he said. "They need leadership from the top."

A recent survey of students in seventh, ninth and 11th grades showed that 
drug use at the high school is lower than the national average, said LCHS 
Vice Principal Joanne Davidson, who also sat on the panel.

The California Healthy Kids survey, a study conducted at schools across the 
state, showed that 13 percent of LCHS 11th-grade students surveyed had used 
marijuana four or more times in their life. Conversely, 76 percent of 
11th-graders who took the survey said they had never used marijuana. 
Ninety-nine percent of seventh-graders and 90 percent of ninth-graders said 
they had never used marijuana. Ninety-six percent of ninth- and 11th-grade 
students said they had never used cocaine.

According to Deputy Chris Deacon, LCHS students communicate with school 
deputies and authorities are able to intervene before major problems arise.

The issue of parents providing alcohol to their teenage children at parties 
was also raised at the forum. Again, Roffino said he is amazed by the 
number of parents who don't consider the consequences of such actions.

"There are huge liability issues out there for parents who turn a blind 
eye," he said.

Deacon confirmed that, saying parents can be arrested for contributing to 
the delinquency of a minor and receive multiple counts of that charge based 
on the number of minors involved.

"You don't want to play around with those kind of dice," he said.
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D