Pubdate: Thu, 20 May 2004 Source: Corvallis Gazette-Times (OR) Copyright: 2004, Lee Enterprises Contact: http://www.mvonline.com/support/contact/GTedletters.php Website: http://www.gazettetimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2976 Author: Becky Waldrop DRUG FORUM REACHES OUT TO PARENTS Survey finds wide use among youths Nine out of 10 Corvallis eighth-graders last year reported that they had tried smoking marijuana and almost the same number, 88 percent, said they had their first drink before age 13. One in 10 reported they had smoked a cigarette in the last month and about one in 20 had used chewing tobacco. These answers come from students, as reported on the confidential Healthy Teen Study, an annual survey sponsored by the state Department of Human Services, the Oregon Research Institute, the state Department of Education and the Commission on Children and Families. By 11th grade, 36 percent of students say they've drank in the last month, 17.5 percent have used marijuana, and 6.3 percent are regular smokers. Another alarming behavior is that almost 16 percent of teens said that they have been passengers in a car of another teen who had been drinking. Whether the information is a true representation of young people experimenting or using drugs and alcohol or if it's a reflection of kids thinking it's cool to say that they take risks and use illegal substances, the statistics indicate that children are exposed to drugs, tobacco and alcohol at a young age. With that information, Corvallis School District officials and community drug and alcohol prevention specialists are hoping that parents will want to learn more about how to talk to children about potentially risky behaviors. The district is holding a drug awareness forum tonight at Cheldelin Middle School, where parents can learn about the types of drugs kids are trying, what drugs are most prevalent among teens, and what resources are available for parents and children to combat drug use. Kari Rieck, a Corvallis School Board member and parent, said the event was originally planned for middle school parents, but after talking with high school administrators, organizers decided to broaden the scope of the discussion. Rieck encountered some resistance from people who did not want the event to happen, because they don't think drugs and alcohol are a problem in the schools. But she persisted and arranged private funding to pay for the event. She also won the support of district administration to distribute advertisements about the forum. At the forum, parents will have a chance to hear speakers Jim Gouveia and Jessica Kelley of the Benton County Drug and Alcohol program and Jim Crew of Discovery Counseling. Parents will also hear the perspective of local law enforcement officials. District curriculum director Dawn Tarzian said educators are aware that students experiment with and use drugs and alcohol. She also said that many parents do not know how prevalent it is, but not because they are doing anything wrong. "It's not easy for health care professionals to communicate with parents," Tarzian said. The district uses information from the risk behavior survey to shape its health curriculum, so that teachers are sharing information to help students make healthy choices. The purpose of the forum is to bring parents together to learn about the problem and to share strategies to keep kids safe. "There is real power with getting together with other parents with children," Tarzian said. "It's a safe place to ask questions." No parent wants their child to be getting drunk or high or smoking in middle school, but denying that kids have access to tobacco, drugs and alcohol doesn't make the problem disappear, experts say. They suggest that if more parents knew what their middle and high school-age children are exposed to, they wouldn't want to stick their head in the sand. Although most adults can remember what it was like to be a teenager and want to do things that only grown-ups can, such as drinking and smoking, there are new things parents have to be concerned about, particularly the age that kids begin experimenting, and what they're using. For example, people now use and abuse over-the-counter medications, and inhalants also are easily accessible. Tarzian said there are lots of indicators that show that Corvallis kids are making good decisions. Almost as many who have experimented with drugs and alcohol report on the Healthy Teen Study that they do three to four hours of homework a week, work and do chores, and earn A and B grades in school. "There's such great hope in our community," Tarzian said. "I have good feelings about our families." Parent and school involvement in a young person's life are two of the strongest indicators of a child's success in avoiding risky behaviors, Tarzian said. And the results of the survey are too significant to ignore. "This is what our kids tell us," she said. "As a parent, you ought to be talking to your kids about it." - --- MAP posted-by: Josh