Taking the time to care could save a kid's life and the kid you save could be your own..?

There has been an issue on my mind for some time now, and with the recent rash of accidents, incidents, assaults, and overdoses involving illegal substances with our young people, the issue has surfaced again. I have been involved in the law enforcement profession for several years now and I have never seen the abuse situation as bad as we have it today. In the past officers knew who all the drug users and dealers were because they were usually the social outcasts, the so-called low-lifes of the community. Now though things are different, people from all walks of life are involved in dealing and the young people using and experimenting are usually those that know better. They can be our children and our grandchildren and it doesn't depend on what kind of parent we are, or were to our children.

There is an alarming number of young people from good families who should know better, but are experimenting with alcohol and other drugs and abusing them on a regular basis. Sometimes, though unbelievable, it is with the parents knowledge. Alcohol is not to be consumed by anyone under the age of 21, yet parents will let their kids drink at home, they will hold private parties such as graduation parties, and allow illegal drinking, and then allow the kid to drive off: This is not only morally wrong, it's illegal. Also there is a liability factor if the kid runs into something or someone.

There is a lot of drug trafficking in our communities these days. With all the substances out there that could cause harm to our youngsters you would think it would be easy to say no and reject it when offered. But instead of standing up and saying, "We don't do that type of activity in our community and we're going to report anyone trying to sell as anything illegal " we have kids encouraging others to get high, to experiment with stuff that could lead to their death.

We have a lot of "good" kids out there that their parents have no earthly idea who their friends are, what is going on in their lives, what they do when they are out, where they go, and on and on. We are losing a generation of young people to substance abuse. Kids are not social drinkers or abusers; they drink to get smashed, they abuse drugs to get high and to run from their so called problems. The truth is though, the problems are still there after the hangover, and if and when they come down from their high.

Another problem that helps to contribute to our accidents is the problem of underage drivers, many of whom drive with the parents knowledge and permission. We've become a very permissive society and it's costing us, in dollars and in lives. Kids complain to their parents that "all the other kids are doing it, " so the parent gives in knowing it's wrong. It's true we don't have much for our young people to do other than cruise town. But driving is a privilege, not a right, it has to be earned, and you have to be of legal age to do so. We, as parents need to make ourselves aware of the dangers out there for our young people, then we need to be aware or know what our child is doing and with whom at all times. It's been said, "Show me who you associate with and I can tell you what kind of person you are or will be." We as parents and as a community need to wake up to the dangers facing our families before it's too late. We can all start right in our homes. Do you remember how it was with your parents? How we've changed, and not for the better. Kids don't need adult parents as "buddies or pals," they need parents who are responsible to lead and direct them. They will probably be like most of us were when our parents tried to tell us something, they don't think much of us now, but 1ater on when they look back, they will be grateful we took the time to care.