PROBATION STEPS UP TEEN DRUG TESTING

Although statistical reports show an overall decline in teen drug use
compared to last year, Graham County juvenile probation officers are
concerned about the climb in drug use in the past few months.

"We are stepping up the program in many ways, such as drug-testing
more juveniles this year," Deputy Chief Probation Officer Sandra Figueroa said.

Last year, 204 lab tests were done on teens with 136 tests being
positive for one or more drugs, according to a statistical report by
the Juvenile Probation Office of Graham County.

In contrast, the report stated 311 tests were done this year with 222
tests returning positive for 2005. Figueroa said out of 82 juveniles
referred for substance abuse, 52 tested positive for using alcohol
and 30 for narcotics or marijuana.

"These are kids not yet old enough to drink, so it is legally a
substance abuse problem," Deputy Juvenile Probation Officer Jessica LaRue said.

Another officer, David Staten, said the teens can be referred to them
for small problems, such as shoplifting and then wind up testing
positive for alcohol consumption or drug-use. "There was a girl under
15 in court today who was caught driving under the influence of
alcohol," Staten said.

Staten also said many people aren't aware these drug and alcohol
realted charges are felonies, and stay on the juvenile's record until
they are 25 years old. More so, drug charges and a second alcohol
offense result in revoked driver's licenses. If the offender is under
16, driving priviliges are not permitted until age 18 or 19.

Staten said juveniles face many more future obstacles such as
entrance into college, background checks for employment or entrance
into the military with records of drugs or other felonies.
Furthermore, Officer LaRue said the juvenile criminal records are
public information and kept for easy access in the system.

Most of the juvenile cases are referred to the probation office by
police officers of Graham County, and juveniles who test positive are
treated in one or a combination of three separate programs. A last
resort is to send the juvenile to the Arizona Department of Juvenile
Corrections (ADJC), a.k.a. "Juvey," to serve a minimum of seven months.

One program considered for teens is a nine-week treatment plan with
Southeastern Arizona Behavioral Health Services (SEABHS). Juveniles
spend an hour and a half on Mondays with counselors in this
intervention program.

Another option is a 60-day detention with in-house drug-testing and
counseling services. There is also a third and final intervention at
a residential treatment center (RTC) that lasts several weeks to nine months.

Figueroa said the last option, RTC's, are very costly at $7,500 a
month per juvenile. She said many parents are simply not aware of
their child's drug use or are lost in what to do about the problem.
Local drug stores, drug-testing labs and Internet web sites offer
drug-testing kits and other resources, she said.

Officer Staten said the symptoms for drug use are broken down in a
detailed chart for parents and guardians to utilize. For example,
narcotics, such as heroine and opium, cause euphoria or high-spirits,
drowsiness, constricted pupils and nausea. Respitory depression is
also a common symptom.

Meth, an amphetamine and stimulant, causes increased alertness,
excitation, euphoria, increased pulse rate and blood pressure,
insomnia and loss of appetite. Cocaine is similiar to amphetamines
and is also categorized as a stimulant.

Marijuana can cause euphoria, relaxed inhibitions or suppressed
actions, increased appetite and disoriented behavior. Staten said
marijuana is truly the number one drug of choice. He also said
alcohol is a separate problem because most people do not consider it
a drug. Teens and sometimes parents don't realize the seriousness of
underage drinking until the juveniles are brought into the court
system, Staten said.

Alcohol, a depressant, can cause drowsiness, spurts of depression,
lack of coordination, slurred speech, strong odor and disorientation.
Symptoms of overdose for most drugs include shallow breathing, clammy
skin, weak to rapid pulse rates, convulsions, coma and possible death.

"Alcohol is the number one drug of choice with juveniles," Staten
said. "Marijuana is second, and meth is third."

Withdrawal symptoms vary for each drug, with watery eyes, runny nose,
irritability, tremors, panic, nausea, chills, insomnia, anxiety and
depression are common. Possible death is also a result of withdrawals.

"Check your own medical insurance for counseling or other resources
to help your child with any possible drug problems," Figueroa said.

LaRue said police and court involvement is not always necessary. She
said the drug problems of the Valley need to surface and that the
general public needs to be more aware, particularly the parents of teens.

"They (the public) need to be aware that there are many people and
resources trying to address the problem," LaRue said.

Officers LaRue, Staten and Figueroa all agreed that they are
concerned with the meth problem in the area as well as the rising
abuse of perscription drugs, such as Oxycotin.

For questions or more information, call SEABHS at 928-428-4550.