FREE FALLING

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN BOB WOELK
Linda Ogden of Communities in Schools (CIS) of Marion County left a couple of brochures at the high school recently. Both are titled “Teen Parties, Alcohol, Drugs and the Law,” but one is directed at parents, and one is information aimed at teenagers.

The high school secretarial staff and I were discussing the pair of leaflets the other day. It occurred to us that many who could benefit from the messages will likely never see what the brochures contain.

Though Hillsboro High School’s prom has already taken place, the outdoor party season is just beginning. So, in the interest of serving the public, I offer some highlights of the CIS words of wisdom.

Under the “Parents: Did You Know?” heading are some scary survey results from 2003. Nearly half of all Marion County 12th graders reported drinking alcohol in the past month. Eighteen percent of the county’s sixth graders reported using inhalants to get high at least once in their lives as compared to 10 percent of Kansas sixth graders. The average Marion County youth who takes up smoking begins at age 12.

If those statistics are not enough of a wake-up call, and parents still don’t think teen partying is a problem, they should consider Kansas laws concerning drinking by minors.

For starters, adults are subject to criminal charges and/or monetary damages if kids use drugs or alcohol on the adults’ property. The minimum fine is $200.

CIS suggests that parents set clear guidelines for teens attending parties as well as hosting parties. As for the teens themselves, the brochure suggests that “What you don’t know can hurt you (even if you never take a drink or get high).”

That’s right. A teenager does not have to be participating in the activity to land in serious trouble. Just being around it is enough.

If a driver of a car transporting alcohol is under 21, for example, “whether the container is open or not, the car can be seized and the driver and passenger can both be charged with illegal possession. Even an empty can is considered an open container. This includes a keg that has been tapped,” the brochure reads.

“If there is alcohol in the trunk, even if the driver is not aware it’s there,” a driver under age 21 can be charged. If drugs are found in a vehicle, it can become the property of law enforcement, even if the driver or owner didn’t know the drugs were present.

Suddenly, the cost of partying becomes much higher.

While I am sure other parts of the country have larger problems with alcohol and drug use, Hillsboro is certainly not without its share of party places. When I run outside of town, I see many discarded beer cans and bottles in the ditches. Sometimes I see the cardboard from cases of beer in groves of trees. It is obvious parties have taken place on these spots.

It saddens me to think that some of our teens believe a lifestyle that involves alcohol and drugs is appealing enough to risk a confrontation with the law, or worse yet, a premature death.

Let’s give Linda Ogden and CIS of Marion County our support to help change the direction our kids seem to be heading.

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