The state of drugs in Pennsylvania is always changing. As a result, parents and caregivers are often in the dark when it comes to knowing the signs of substance abuse and the types of drugs their kids might encounter. With the introduction of new drugs happening all the time on neighborhood streets and the rise of prescription drug abuse in children, knowing how to talk to your kids about drugs is important.
Drug Free Pennsylvania, in partnership with The Learning Lamp and Central Cambria School District, is offering Straight Talk for Parents, a free seminar aimed at providing caregivers vital information on drugs. The workshop takes place Tuesday, May 21 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Central
Cambria High School Auditorium. The free session is open to any parent, educator or community member who wants to attend.
“The Straight Talk seminar is a great way for parents to learn about some of the lesser-known but still popular street drugs, such as bath salts, K2 and Special K,” said Jill Dibuono, a prevention specialist at The Learning Lamp. “It’s also important that parents learn the strategies for dealing with children who have already tried drugs.”
According to the most recent Pennsylvania Youth Survey, kids typically start experimenting with drugs and alcohol by the age of 13—some are even younger. In fact, nearly one in six Cambria County sixth graders admitted to having used alcohol in their lifetime. By eighth grade, that number jumps to one in three. And it’s not just children growing up in impoverished or crime-ridden neighborhoods that are at risk for developing substance abuse problems. With prescription drugs readily available in bathroom cabinets and illicit drugs handy in every town, even children from a so-called “good family” are at risk.
For more information on the Straight Talk for Parents seminar, please visit www.straighttalkforparents.org.
To learn more about The Learning Lamp and its prevention programs for K-12 schools in Cambria and Somerset counties, visit thelearninglamp.org or call (814) 262-0732.
