Elementary parents hear antidrug message

Substance abuse prevention staff in Wooster adds grade schools to its work

WOOSTER: If you can't get the whipped cream to spray out of a full can, the
cause may be more serious than a defective valve, Juliet Kandel warns. She
said the toxic gas used to propel the sweet stuff out of the can and onto
your dessert may have been sniffed out by your preteen, looking for a quick
high.

Kandel is the student assistance program coordinator with Wooster schools.
She spoke at a recent parentteacher meeting at Parkview Elementary School
on The Surprises in your Cupboards, ordinary household items that children
use to get high.

Introducing Kandel, Principal George Dean told the parents that this is the
first year Wooster's substance abuse prevention staff will be active in the
elementary schools. ``Usually, they spend all their time at the high
school,'' said Dean. ``But by the time the kids get to high school, they've
already made choices.''

Kandel agreed. ``If I do programs here, I'll see (youngsters) clean and
sober later on,'' she said.

The meeting was closed to pupils because Kandel was discussing ways
products are abused. ``I feel it's important not to teach kids new ideas,
but 95 percent of what I've learned has come from students,'' she said.

Kandel, who has been with the Wayne County Alcoholism Services for five
years, gathered much of her information on current drug fads from pupils
enrolled in the Insight Program. It is an educational program for children
who are firsttime offenders. They attend eight hours of classes, spread
over four sessions.

Kandel said the pupils she sees are not bad kids. ``They're not kids who
are flunking or who live on a certain end of town,'' she said. ``They're
from all ranges academically, economically, athletically. They're kids who
make poor choices.''

Children have easy access to quick highs, such as inhalants, Kandel said.
She said a can of butane lighter fluid sells for $1.59. ``It will give a
45second high, then a terrific headache,'' she said.