A probation officer, policeman, nurse and chemical dependency counselor encouraged parents to be vigilant about their kids’ chemical abuse during the second-annual Drug and Alcohol Awareness Event Wednesday at Albert Lea High School.

Thursday, December 06, 2001

A probation officer, policeman, nurse and chemical dependency counselor encouraged parents to be vigilant about their kids’ chemical abuse during the second-annual Drug and Alcohol Awareness Event Wednesday at Albert Lea High School.

The event at the Albert Lea High School auditorium intended to inform parents and kids about the reality of chemical abuse and the resources available in the community to tackle the problem.

John McGinnis, Fountain Center chemical dependency counselor, and Tom Jensen, director of County Court Services, explained how drug use evolves from social use to addiction.

McGinnis emphasized the major difference in behavior from the social use to abuse stage.

&uot;The abuser starts believing that the chemical makes it possible to do what he could not do without it,&uot; he said.

Jensen said it is important for the parents to pay attention to the change in behavior of their teenage kids.

Gene Arnold, a Albert Lea Police Department/South Central Drug Investigation Unit detective, talked through his experience dealing with chemical abusers.

&uot;Drugs took a sense of remorse away. They commit stealing and burglary without feeling guilt,&uot; he said.

For typical teenagers, the first signs of drug abuse are stealing money from parents and selling belongings such as CD players.

Arnold also showed the audience some inhaling equipment for drugs and asked them to be vigilant for such signals.

Local law enforcement authorities and support groups will launch a new telephone line service to address the parents’ concerns.

The Parent WarnLine operated by the Parenting Resource Center in Austin provides 24-hour drug and alcohol outreach service. The center transfers calls to local specialists who can consult and advise the situation.

The number of Parent WarnLine is: 1(888) 584-2204 and 1(877) 434-9528 (Spanish).