Around 80 to 100 teens and their parents attended the activity. The event was held in response to the results of a recent Prevention Needs Assessment survey, which indicated that rates for alcohol abuse and binge drinking among Pelham teens surpassed the national average.

Characters in the documentary “American Teen” included a jock, beauty queen, geek, rebel, and heartthrob, and deals with the pressures that today’s American teens face, including alcohol and drug abuse, sexting, and bullying.

While the documentary was being shown, teens were give a questionnaire and encouraged to text their comments.

Daragh Murphy, JLP president, shared: “We did get lots of texts… I think it was a great way to communicate with the audience, certainly with a group of this age. They seemed to be all engaged in the interaction.” Murphy shared further that some of the text messages they received indicated that the teens felt that the movie was similar to life in Pelham.

After the screening, a question and answer session was held with PGC director Cheryl Bobe. The high school group “Kids Helping Kids” then performed a scene from their anti-bullying play. Bobe shared: “This was our first time doing something like this and we had tremendous participation from the kids… “I think they learned that they’re in a similar situation. They learned about what each other felt.”

Associate director and chief financial officer of the Patricia Henley Foundation Trisha Geyer adds that sbTNN is a teen scene magazine show. Now on its third season, sbTNN offers teens “community-based arts programs” which help develop effective communication and enhance performing arts for the youth.

In the last six months, sbTNN has been working with their media sponsor Noozhawk in creating a special six-week investigative report and public announcements pertaining to prescription drug abuse. Many of the videos and have already been posted in their website together with articles from Noozhawk reporters.

The Santa Barbara Teen News Network has since came out with 28 public service announcements for prescription drug abuse. By interviewing and talking to professionals like doctors and medical providers and other resource persons like recovering addicts, the staff of sbTNN have learned and absorbed useful information with regards to prescription medications misuse and abuse.

According to one sbTNN staff, the notion that drinking is the largest problem among teens could be overtaken by the issue of prescription drug abuse.

Teen staff of the network confirmed that people they interviewed were excited about the project. “Everyone was really caring and just wanted to help,” says one teen interviewer.

As a result of the interviews, the teens themselves learn a lot and were in turn empowered to share information and knowledge about prescription drug abuse to others of their age. “We’re living (with those who misuse prescription drugs) and can help guide them,” says one teen volunteer for the teen network.

As of Tuesday, there were 134 respondents to the survey which can be accessed at www.powaytownhall.com yielding results that suggest the need for the implementation of random drug testing among athletes, more effective crackdown on “party buses” which transport teens, and transparency on drug-related issues in school campuses.

According to Steve Vaus who initiated the community forum, respondents were given the following choices in answering questions to the online survey: absolutely, possibly, undecided, and no way. Comments were also welcomed along with their answers.

It was no surprise that 90% of those who took the survey favored drug testing for school athletes, 67% saying “absolutely” and 23% said “possibly.”

There were also 86% who said that they wanted to be informed about drug or alcohol offenses on campus, 75% saying “absolutely” and 11% choosing “possibly.”

With regards to “party buses,” 82% said they wanted to have a total ban on such vehicles that transport teens to events which often carry drugs and liquor too.

Interesting comments gathered from the online survey include one participant stating parents should stop allowing their kids to use their credit cards to reserve party buses. Others also added that they have not heard of reports of student arrests or anything about substance abuse from campuses.

Comments like “when kids get caught, don’t sweep it under the rug,” and “withhold names, but publish everything about arrests and anything/everything that has to do with substance abuse,” and “how about parents stop letting their kids use their credit cards to reserve party buses. Parents, step up and get tough,” only prove that people are concerned about issues affecting the youth.

Debbie Boniface, principal at Sandburg High, says that teens don’t usually listen to warnings. Enlisting the help of parents is very important in their fight against drug abuse.

“It’s very important for parents, community members and kids to know that the point is not to get someone in trouble, but to get them help and support,” the principal said. “This is about making healthy and appropriate choices, and whatever we can do to ensure that is important.”

The letter, which was sent by Superintendent James Gay, appealed to parents to talk to their kids about drug abuse. Also contained in the letter are useful information sites and which could help parents with the task.

A part of the letter reads:  “…disturbing stories about dangerous and sometimes deadly behavior in which teens in the south suburbs have been engaging. News reports include underage drinking and law enforcement concerns over the increase in availability of drugs, particularly heroin.”

Boniface added that breaks in school can be factor in promoting dangerous habits of students. It possible for kids to take advantage of these periods when nobody in authority is around them. Even during long school breaks, kids often succumb to drug-related activities.

“When kids are away from school for a while, their guard is let down,” she said. “They don’t have to be somewhere the next day, don’t have to get homework done. Sometimes bad things happen.”

The event was originally scheduled last December 6, but an unfortunate turn of events took place the day before the workshop which prompted the organizers to move the event this February.

According to Jennifer Weigle, a guidance intern and Student Assistance Program counselor for the school, it was on the 5th of December last year that five teens from the New Oxford High School were killed in a car crash, which is why the event was immediately rescheduled.

The workshop will keep its original format on preventing and identifying teen drug and alcohol abuse which will be very valuable for parents in the area.

A local detective will be talking to parents on how to detect teen drug abuse as well as of the latest trends in drug and alcohol abuse among the youth. Resource speakers will also be at hand to give tips on how parents can talk to their children about drugs and alcohol as these are important steps to ensure kids remain safe and healthy.

Weigle said that there is a need for parents to be correctly informed about drugs and alcohol use or abuse. “To me, knowledge is power. And even if you think your child isn’t using and their friends aren’t using, just to have the information and be aware can be very helpful to parents and students. We want to reach parents before there’s a problem.”

The workshop will be open to all parents from Hanover and Adams County areas and they will be assisted by child care if they bring along kids 14 years old and younger. Snacks will also be served during the event.

Results of the survey also include the fact that marijuana use among seniors has reached an all-time high at 6.6% in the last 30 years. Teens seem to disregard the dangers of marijuana abuse that even students in the 10th and 12th grades also register alarming figures as far as marijuana use is concerned.

The survey is one of the most credible indicators of substance abuse among teens in the nation.

According to psychiatrist Karl Benzio M.D., pot smoking has become so rampant that it’s almost like smoking cigarettes for teens. “Pot has become nearly as accepted as cigarette smoking in our society, and the dangers of it are grossly underestimated, especially for young people. As high schoolers smoke more pot, they are drawn to other drugs — drugs with devastating effects.”

Dr. Benzio is also the executive director of the Lighthouse Network which offers programs for addiction and mental health recovery with a 24-hour helpline and counseling for troubled individuals.

Other alarming findings of the study include a recorded 50% of high school seniors admit to use of illicit drugs at one point in their lives. There are also 40% of the same population who admit to use of more than one type of drug in the past year, and in the last month, 25% of the students claimed use of illicit drugs.

The study dubbed as the “Monitoring the Future” survey also recorded an increase in the use of synthetic marijuana products such as K2 and Spice as well as Ecstasy drugs which all have fatal effects on users.

Unfortunately, not all drug abuse cases get the necessary treatment or therapy. More than 23 million people in America are hooked on drug and alcohol use, yet only 2.6 million receive the help that they need to sober up again.

When this problem occurs in the family especially on kids, parents should be ready and equip themselves to be able to deal with the situation. When parents suspect their child is into drug use, it’s best to have him immediately tested. Parents can purchase drug testing kits for their children or acquire the services of professionals in doing the process.

Kids are not the only ones who need help with drug problems. Parents too need the proper information and support to better handle their kids’ problems. The more parents learn about the condition of their kids, the more they are able to help them get better. There are many organizations that offer their services to help parents in complicated situations.

It is necessary to have the parent-child talk, but it should be done at the right time and place. Do not attempt to talk to kids when they are under the influence or when there are other people that could hear your conversation. Yet it is important that the talk should be made at the soonest possible time before things get worse.

Parents should never let shame or fear get in the way of helping their child. After all, there are other families who experience the same problem and resolving the problem is much more important than keeping family reputation.

Dr. Nora Volkow, who heads the National Institute on Drug Abuse, said that the decline in tobacco use among teens is welcome news. Yet the rate of its decline goes slower and slower over the years, and this could still be a concern for everybody. “This highlights the urgency of maintaining strong prevention efforts against teen smoking and of targeting other tobacco products,” Volkow said.

Survey results also confirmed that marijuana use among high school students has reached 25% in the past year compared to about 21% in 2007. The most troubling reality uncovered by the survey is the fact that daily marijuana use among senior high school students is at 7%. This percentage is by far the highest since 1981.

The rise in marijuana use could be due to the fact that mortality rates linked to marijuana use is by far much lower than reported tobacco fatalities. Smoking marijuana is perceived as much safer than cigarettes therefore more individuals are getting into the habit of pot smoking instead of cigarettes. What teens might be disregarding is that daily marijuana use leads to addiction which in turn could mean more serious conditions.

Alcohol use among teens is also on the decline. Reports regarding fatal cases on driving under the influence, higher risks for addiction and overdose, and violent reactions related to alcohol use have discouraged teens from alcohol abuse.

Study author Gene Brody said that after two years of offering the program to parents and their kids, a new study conducted on participants showed that there has been a decrease in the number of drugs and alcohol abuse and in behavioral problems in the targeted population.

“During the high school years is when kids often begin to use drugs and escalate their use of drugs, so it’s really an important time to introduce some prevention programs,” Brody said.

The program is specifically designed for African-American families. Parents and kids are given the opportunity to attend sessions on improving academic performance, resisting peer pressure, dealing with discrimination or racism, and effectively implementing household rules.

As African-American kids aged 16 and their parents go through the program, which consists of five two-hour sessions, they are supported and assisted by caregivers who provide them with tips on good parenting practices and setting rules on alcohol and drug abuse. Teens are taught about self-control and are guided to achieve improved academic standings.

The participants came from rural areas. While it may be true that kids in rural areas have lower drug and alcohol abuse cases compared to their urban counterparts, recent studies have shown that risks are increasing.

Brody confirms that their program is warmly received by their target population. “There was great excitement around the program. These parents realize, there’s not a lot of opportunity to help them or to help their youth develop in a way that’s going to put them on a path to success.”

He is hopeful, despite some financial obstacles encountered, that they could share the program to more parents and kids in other key areas.

Parents often refuse to acknowledge what is happening to their kids until everything becomes too late. This is because parents and kids feel uncomfortable discussing marijuana and other drug abuse issues. Yet in keeping kids away from pot and other drugs, parents are key factors as they serve as their children’s role models and source of information.

Here are some suggestions as to how parents can keep teens safe and in a healthy environment:

1. The talk about drugs should start early and should be consistent through the years. Remember to include issues like addictions, impaired driving skill and learning capabilities, and other risky behaviors associated with drug use. Cooperate with your child’s school on the matter as they can very well influence your child on his decision making.

2. Parents should serve as role models, so if you are a pot smoker, you must cut the habit immediately and without hesitation.

3. If you have experiences on pot use or other types of drug abuse, be honest and tell your kids you’ve done it. It’s the best way for you to share the destructive effects of your past habits and it will no doubt have a great impact on your kids.

4. Make sure you know your child’s activities without invading their right to privacy. Give concrete guidelines to them when it comes to drinking and drugs and at least ensure that adults are present during teen parties or gatherings.

5. Kids should be able to approach parents when they are in doubt of anything related to substance abuse. As parents, you should be the first persons kids run to when they need proper education and correct information on the subject matter. In short, communication lines should be kept open between you and your children at all times.