PARENTS ARE THE BIGGEST INFLUENCE

Joseph A. Califano Jr., former federal secretary of
Health/Education/Welfare has just published the 10th annual survey of
12- to 17-year-olds by the National Center on Addiction and Substance
Abuse at Columbia University.

It has a loud and clear message: Parents, if you want to raise
drug-free kids, you cannot just place responsibility on their schools
or law enforcement.

The odds are that drugs may be used, kept or sold at our schools, and
laws prohibiting teen use of tobacco, alcohol or illegal drugs will
have minor output.

What will motivate youths to stay drug free is how they perceive, he
says, how Mom and Dad react to their smoking, drinking and drug use,
their sense of immorality of such use by someone their age and
whether they consider such use harmful to their health. Engaged and
nourishing parents have the best shot at giving their youth the will
and skills to say "no."

Parents have an important responsibility to monitor their children's
conduct and know their children's friends. The good news is that
strong, positive family relationships are a powerful deterrent.
Frequent family dinners with religion encouraging an important part
of their lives are the real sources of strength.

Americans' drug problem is not going to be solved in courtrooms,
legislative hearing rooms or school rooms - or by judges, politicians
or teachers. But it will be solved in living rooms and dining rooms
and across kitchen tables by parents and families.