On May 20, the Evesham Municipal Alliance hosted a program from the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey — a program with a straightforward message for parents and guardians.
When parents spend just 15 minutes a day talking to their children about their life and what’s important to them, those children are 67 percent less likely to start using drugs and alcohol.
“Pretty good statistic,” said Kyran Killian, parent educator from the PDFNJ.
The program, entitled “15 Child Break,” shows parents what drugs are out on the street today, lets them know the telltale signs of abuse and promotes the overall message that the more parents are involved in their children’s lives, the less likely their kids are to use drugs and alcohol.
“They don’t even have to talk to their children about drugs,” Killian said. “If they talk to them, they might find that the topic comes up in conversation, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be the conversation — just show them love, understanding and compassion for what’s going on in their children’s lives.”
Killian said when the PDFNJ surveyed 12th graders, 50 percent admitted they’ve used illicit drugs in their lifetime, with 68 percent of them have tried alcohol and 38 percent having tried cigarettes.
“I consider them to be the two gateway drugs,” Killian said. It’s the first two they’re introduced to, and may be in their own home. They’re readily available.”
Killian also warned of today’s marijuana being more dangerous than that of 20 years ago due to higher concentrations of THC, and also warned of the rising use of heroin.
In addition to information of drug use amongst children, Killian was also able to show physical examples of drug paraphilia he had on hand.
One example was what appeared to be a name brand can of soda, which actually had a removable top to conceal its true nature as a flask.
“They’re sitting at the lunchroom table, it’s pretty crowded, couple of aides walking around, teachers are somewhere else, kids sitting at the table decides to have a little sip, it’s a fake can, it could be filled up with gin, rum, tequila, whatever was in house, closes it up real quick, could be sitting in his own house and parents wouldn’t recognize it,” Killian said.
Killian also showed a marker with a false bottom that could be used a pipe for crack cocaine, and a small decorative piece of glass that was also actually a pipe.
Asked if there was one thing he could tell parents, Killian said it was for them to simply know who their children’s friends are.
“They’ll do for their friends before they will do for parents or teachers because of that acceptance,” Killian said.
Debra Rumbos, coordinator for the Evesham Municipal Alliance — which is comprised of township, business and school officials, as well as clergy and other community members — said the May 20 program was just one of the ways the group works to prevent the use of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs.
“It’s one of the ways to help the community to learn about what’s out there as far as drugs are concerned, what’s out there, what to avoid, how to stay away and offer opportunities to help the kids stay away,” Rumbos said.
For more information of the programs, services and materials offered by the PDFNJ , visit www.drugfreenj.org and for more information about the Evesham Municipal Alliance, email Rumbos at rumbosd@evesham-nj.gov.
