Pubdate: Mon, 07 Jan 2008 Source: Mayerthorpe Freelancer (CN AB) Copyright: 2008 The Freelancer Contact: http://www.mayerthorpefreelancer.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/733 Note: Title added by MAP editor INVOLVE PARENTS Letter of the week Dear Editor I read with interest, Melissa Hamelin's article, "Drug seminar set to educate residents," in the December 3rd edition of your paper. Congratulations to your community on taking this pro-active step in protecting our youth. It is very heartening to see a small community tackle an issue which has/is creating such devastation in our country. The best way to keep our youth drug free is the involvement of parents. Surveys show that parents are the biggest influence in their children's decisions about drug use; parents must actively engage in educating their children and help them make healthy decisions. There is a serious drug problem in this country. Marijuana is a much bigger portion of this problem than most people realize. In the US more young people are now in treatment for marijuana dependency than for alcohol or for all other illegal drugs combined. Of all teenagers in drug treatment, about 60 percent have a primary marijuana diagnosis. The average age of initiation for marijuana use generally has been getting younger. In 2001, 84 percent reported first using marijuana between ages of 12 and 17. Are the above not reasons to keep our youth drug free? Parents, schools, community and police must all work together to solve the youth drug problem. There is timely information available at: mfiles.org, lifesite.net, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) dea.gov, where they show their sources. Many in Canada seem to feel that legalizing drugs would keep them out of the hands of youth. How has this worked out with tobacco and alcohol? Would not the criminal element switch their target to our youth? Lets think again! Eric Myrholm, Abbotsford - --- MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart