Not even kids who’ll do anything to get out of class would choose to spend it listening to a bunch of adults talk about the dangers of doing drugs. Not unless, of course, the problem is real and they want to learn more.
Last week’s third annual Snohomish County Youth Meth Summit drew a crowd of nearly 1,000 young people at the Everett Events Center — equal to the first two years combined, organizers said. It’s gratifying to see that this community’s aggressive approach to making people aware of the horror and prevalence of methamphetamine use has spread to our youth. Amid reports that more teens are using than adults realize, it’s encouraging that so many young people turned out for an event that aims to turn that around with consistent and creative education.
And these youths didn’t hold back their opinions of the summit or drug use. Maybe it’ll help a little, some said. Others will do what they want to do no matter what. That attitude is true of any age group. But as retired U.S. Army Gen. Barry McCaffrey told the group, "if you make it to your senior year in high school, you’re safe."
The former U.S. drug czar also implored parents to speak to their children about drugs and said kids are more concerned about disappointing loved ones than being arrested, which might surprise some people. Parents struggling to approach the issue with their teens or preteens — or learn about it themselves, first — are fortunate to have a Web site full of information at www.methsummit.com, including "Tweaker tips" on how to behave around someone who may be a meth user (tweaker).
While all inappropriate and illegal drug use is bad, meth is a monster whose impact on the brain and body is swift and irreversible. And the addiction is so intense, some users who’ve managed to successfully complete treatment say they still crave it.
But as one former meth user said, "Nothing good can come from using meth. Absolutely nothing."
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