We must unite
to fight teenage drug abuse

How many teens have to drive over cliffs or hit center dividers or wake up in the hospital because they overdosed on drugs? What about the boy who mixed a prescription painkiller with alcohol and died? Do I need to keep going? I’m sure there are countless more stories that we don’t hear about.

We have a very serious drug problem among the teens in our community. As far as I can see, it seems to be getting worse. No "one" person can police the whole city. It’s going to take each and every responsible person available, from the parents to the teachers to the law enforcement to the brothers and sisters. We need to take this very seriously to be able to turn this insidious behavior around.

I have had three wonderful boys enter their high school sober, and all three have been introduced to every kind of drug you can imagine, such as cocaine, marijuana, ecstasy, alcohol, Ketamine and prescription painkillers. Did you know there is such a thing as "trendy drugs"? No one put a gun to their heads to get them to do these drugs; they just did what the other kids are doing. Don’t think this couldn’t happen to your kid, because it can.

I am not here to place judgment on anyone; I’m just sick and tired of watching this kind of activity destroy our children.

Parents need to educate themselves and keep a "watchful eye" more than ever. Be ready with an on-site drug test kit, should you suspect your child. Drug tests don’t lie, but kids on drugs do. Last but not least, please don’t wait until tomorrow, because tomorrow might not come.

If you are willing to help combat this problem, please join me by writing a letter stating how you feel about this issue and I will make sure your voice gets heard. I am a determined mother and we must do all we can to make this stop. E-mail a letter to: spn371@aol.com.

Deb Keller

Agoura Hills