Parents, massive public education campaign can help save lives, money lost to substance abuse
Excerpts from Rober Califano at TC Palm.com on January 8, 2010

The time has come to recognize and accept that substance abuse is the nation’s number.one public health problem and we have to educate Americans about the fearful price we pay for alcohol and other drug use. Instead of stigmatizing addiction, we should recognize that it’s a pediatric disease. Adult addicts overwhelmingly trace their substance abuse demons to their adolescent years.

Before graduating from high school, every American child will be offered the opportunity to smoke, drink, get drunk and get high on inhalants, marijuana or other illegal or prescription drugs. Most girls and boys will get such offers many times, from classmates, friends or older siblings, often beginning in middle school. The choice they make may be the most important decision of their lives. Why? Because a child who gets through age 21 without smoking, using illegal drugs or abusing alcohol is virtually certain never to do so.

Parents have more power to influence their children — for better or worse — than anyone else. Their engagement in their children’s lives — eating dinner together, going to their children’s events, helping with homework, listening as well as sending clear messages that use of alcohol, tobacco and drugs is unacceptable — greatly reduces the risk of substance abuse.

Califano, secretary of Health, Education and Welfare under President Jimmy Carter, is chairman and president of The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University and author of “How to Raise a Drug-Free Kid: The Straight Dope for Parents.” Califano, an attorney, also was a special assistant on domestic affairs to President Lyndon Johnson.