WGAL News Story on Drugs 101
WBPH's "Taking the Initiative" Features a Rountable on Drugs 101 (last 10 minutes of 30 minute program)
York Daily Record/Sunday News: Parents learn to spot possible drug, alcohol use
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| Photo by Kate Penn. Parents view our mock-teen-bedroom scene before the program starts |
By AMY MARCHIANO
York, PA - More than 100 parents attended a session Wednesday at Northern Middle School to gain more information about drug use.
This was the first time for the "Drugs 101" event, said Sylvia Murray, principal of the Carroll Township school. It was presented by the Susan P. Byrnes Health Education Center of York.
"We just want to educate parents," Murray said, adding she was pleased with the turnout.
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| Photo by Kate Penn: Over 70 teen drug use indicators are used in our mock-bedroom |
Those attending had the opportunity to look at a mock bedroom scene and see if they could spot any of the 70 items related to drug use. On average, about 30 to 40 items were spotted, as shown by adults raising their hands.
The items included a T-shirt with an angry snowman on it -- a coded reference to cocaine -- hollowed out CD cases that could be used to store drugs, and a scale.
Before the two individuals from the Byrnes Center were introduced, Murray and seventh-grade math teacher Troy Sauer spoke. Sauer said the community was great and so are the students. But "you can't fight what you don't know."
Several skits were presented, and information about gateway drugs -- such as alcohol and tobacco -- marijuana, cocaine, prescription drugs and methamphetamines were discussed.
"It's never too early to start" to have discussions about drugs, said Sandy Gladfelter, one of the presenters.
Setting an example is important, they said. Whether it's that one beer or cigarette, what you're doing communicates signals to your children, they said. The items youngsters use can come from your home or from those they know, they said.
For example, "every single day about 2,500 kids start using prescription drugs for the first time," Gladfelter said.
Methamphetamines can be made with household items, too. Those who try them "can become addicted after just one hit," Marguerite Ferrara said.
If a young person tries a cigarette they can be "addicted in as little as ten cigarettes," she said. "There's no such thing as just a cigarette."
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| Photo by Kate Penn: Our Drugs101 presentations are always interactive |
Some parents who attended said they learned a lot.
"I thought it was excellent," said Debbie Chopka, a Dillsburg resident. She has children in the Northern York County School District. Learning the nicknames of some of the drugs and the warning signs was beneficial, she said.
Getting involved in your child's life, enforcing clear rules, being a positive role model and having your children choose friends wisely and staying informed matters, according to the presenters.
"You have to find your opportunities" to stay involved, Gladfelter said.
PHOTO CREDITS: DAILY RECORD/SUNDAY NEWS - KATE PENN
Leader Times: Area Parents Get Inside Look at Teen Drug Use
By Tom Mitchell, LEADER TIMES
MANOR -- Pieces of the puzzle came together Tuesday for 100 Armstrong County parents at a seminar entitled "Drugs 101" as they scanned a mock teenager's bedroom for signs of drug or alcohol use, and learned some terms used by today's teen generation.
The Drugs 101 seminar was presented by Clarence W. Watson III and Marty Weiss of the Susan P. Byrnes Health Education Center in York, Pa., and sponsored by Lenape Technical School in Manor and ARC Manor, a drug and alcohol addiction recovery center in Kittanning.
At the outset of the seminar, parents were challenged to view a mock teenager's bedroom to see if they could make a written list of signs of drug or alcohol use and common items used as drug paraphernalia or to hide drugs.
Parents later learned that the small "room" contained 62 signs of drug use. When asked how many items they had found, no one spotted all 62, only a few found 40, some found 20, and the majority of parents found even less.
"This shows how creative children can be when it comes to hiding drugs in the home," Watson said. "It also shows that parents need to be better educated to signs of substance abuse."
Both Watson and Weiss used a PowerPoint presentation to outline facts about the most commonly used drugs, signs of addition and their affect on the mind and body. The men encouraged parents to learn up-to-date terms and "signs" of drug use. Holding up a black T-Shirt with a grim looking snowman, Watson said the snowman symbol stood for "snow," a term for cocaine.
"Candy bracelets or necklaces may be used to conceal a drug called 'Ecstasy' or the 'love drug'' Watson said. "Ecstasy is also know as 'Batman,' or 'Blue Kisses" or 'Kleenex' or several other terms. It's called the 'love drug' because at one time it was a prescription drug recommended by marriage counselors. It can make you very amorous and it is a stimulant and mild hallucinogen. Sometimes it is taken with 'Viagra' when teens want to engage in sex. Then it is called 'Sextacy.'"
Perhaps what most in attendance found shocking was the variety of ingenious hiding places for drugs as demonstrated by Weiss. Holding up a stack of compact disk cases, Weiss "opened"' the stack to reveal a cleverly disguised well for hiding drugs.
"Here's a common room candle," he said. "But unlike regular pillar candles this one has a top which unscrews to reveal another hiding place. There are also soft drink cans that are weighted to feel full but are really hollowed out hiding safes."
Weiss said that although the items he displayed could be made by a cleaver teen, all were available for purchase through Internet stores at relatively low cost.
Watson said that today's youth are bombarded with media messages that say that drugs and alcohol are fun.
"How many watched the last Superbowl," he asked. "You may have noticed that the most popular and most frequently shown commercial was an ad for beer. You have to be 21 to legally drink, but at any age you can see a commercial of people having fun while drinking alcohol. The Internet is full of Websites warning of the dangers of drug use, but there are just as many Websites that say it's 'OK' to do drugs. There are also music CDs made by some performing artists that actually glorify the use of marijuana and other drugs. These artists are sometimes portrayed as role models to our kids."
Watson said parents need to be the real role models for their children, and he outlined a plan of action for parents to get involved with their children.
"You have to take the initiative," he said. "A simple 'Let's talk' is all that is needed. You have to break the ice when discussing sensitive issues like drugs, alcohol and sex. You have to be very frank and honest. It's called communication."
"Sometimes you may feel as if you are talking to the wall," Weiss said, "but believe me, your children are listening. They do hear and you are making a difference in their lives, even if they don't seem to show it at first."
Carla Thimons, Lenape special programs coordinator, said Drugs 101 was designed to make parents pro-active, not reactive.
"We have ARC Manor here and parents need to know that ARC Manor is there to help them with literature and trained counselors to recognize potential problems and, hopefully, stop them before they start. Lenape partnered with ARC Manor because we want parents to know that help is there."
Kay Owen said ARC Manor's trained counselors are available "...24/7" and may be reached by phone at: 724-548-7607 or the agency's toll-free number, 1-800-323-1333.
Drugs 101 was conducted in two sessions, 1:30 to 3 p.m and 6:30 to 8 p.m. Each session was limited to 100 people. She said pre-registration was required and the demand for the seminar was overwhelming.
"A number of people had to be turned away from today's event because we had room for only 100 people, "she said. "However judging from today's attendance we will probably host another seminar in the near future."
She said the seminar was made possible through a grant from ACMH Hospital's Medical Staff Foundation
Read more: Area parents get inside look at teen drug use - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_505694.html#ixzz1KBFdXNGR
