June 18, 2008 — Editor’s Note: This is the first story in a series based on the recent How to Drug Proof Your Kids training.



Marijuana, steroids, inhalants and ‘Pharm Parties’ are just to name a few drug activities that children have become involved in – and most parents have no clue.

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, kids have become quite clever with hiding their drug activity from adults.

In fact, one out of four eighth grade students have been drunk at least once in the past month and 50 percent of senior high school students also have been drunk in the past 30 days.

During a “How to Drug Proof Your Kids” training session Thursday, Mike Haley, master trainer with Community Impact Outreach and from Colorado Springs, visited the Morehead Conference Center and talked with parents and concerned citizens about the dangers of drug use among children.

“Parenting is a puzzle,” he said. “You need to know what makes children tick. How well do you know your kids? Drugs are really bad across the nation right now and it’s a problem even in small towns. We have a methamphetamine plague in many states including Kentucky. It’s a war. But, if everyone works together, you can drive drugs out of your community.”

Haley said one particular way children are fooling parents and guardians is through text messaging and e-mails. He said adults should to keep an eye out for the numbers, “4:20.” Haley said children are using the term in messages such as, ‘Jim I will meet you at the lake, 4:20.’

He said the numbers involve the use of marijuana and that one of the two children has the drug available for the meeting.

One parent spoke up at the training session and said her daughter, a Rowan County Senior High School student, had recently been offered marijuana at the high school. “She said a girl is selling it at the high school,” she commented. “That’s one of the reasons I wanted to come to this session. When I heard that from my daughter, it scared me.”

Haley said children also are getting high by mixing large amounts of cough syrup with Sprite™. The drink is called “purple dragon” and can potentially cause hallucinations.

“The pharm parties are another huge problem right now with children,” Haley told those attending the session. “They will get into your medicine cabinets and take two or three of several prescription drugs that includes Valium, pain medications and even Viagra. They take only a few so that you won’t miss them. They take those to a gathering where they put the pills into a cup and then each child will mix the different types of pills with alcohol to experience the high.”

Haley also informed parents about potential signs of meth labs within communities. He said a pair of sneakers tied together and thrown across an electric line is a good indication that a meth lab is somewhere close and the meth is ready for purchase. “Meth is a social plague,” he said. “It’s so addictive that 80 percent of those who use it one time is addicted. It’s a different animal for some reason. This is the worst thing to hit our country and we have to work together to make a difference.”

Haley also touched on steroids and said many children will get them from the Internet. “They are dangerous and should not be used by children,” he said. “They will see an athlete on television or in a magazine and think if they take steroids they can build their bodies.”

Drug use among children has to begin somewhere and Haley said nicotine, alcohol and marijuana are the gateway drugs to cocaine, meth, heroin and ecstasy.

“They look like candy and some will have smiley faces on them,” he advised. “They are not professionally manufactured. In fact, they are made in hotel rooms and in homes. And, just as meth, it’s very dangerous.”

Haley said communication is an important tool for families. “You need to also communicate age appropriate information about things such as drugs and alcohol,” he said. “Be aware and stay informed about what drugs look like and the code words used.”

Another danger among children is the “choking game” that has ended with some deadly consequences, Haley said. “They choke and hang themselves with a scarf or rope and just before passing out, they release,” he advised. “They also may let another child choke them. The high only lasts a couple of minutes, but children have died before they are able to release themselves. This kills dozens of teens each year and three out of four parents haven’t even heard of it. Schools need to educate on this because it’s been ruled as suicide in many cases.”

Warning signs of choking include:

• Suspicious neck bruising

• Turtleneck blouses or shirts

• Unusual noises in the child’s bedroom

• Signs of rope

• Headaches and bloodshot eyes

“You must talk and listen to children,” he said. “This is a deadly game that your kids might be playing in their rooms and you are not aware.

Haley advised that the use of certain inhalants also is prevalent among children right now.

“They use items that are easy to get such as hairspray, whip cream and butane lighters,” he said. “They puncture the canister and then sniff the vapors. This is sometimes referred to as huffing and causes a rapid heart beat, and in many cases, killed children.”

Haley said communities must rally together to end the drug war. “Kids who don’t learn consequences could end up in prison or dead” he said. “We must coach kids to help them make good choices.”