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Police, DEA discuss teen drug use
By Chris Roark, croark@starlocalnews.com
About 80 parents heard stories from the experts Monday night that show Southlake is not immune to the area’s drug and alcohol problem.
Members of the Southlake Police Department, as well as officials from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) spoke at the community event hosted by Students and Parents Against Risks to our Kids (SPARK) at Carroll High School.
Their message was clear: Southlake students are using drugs, and parents need to get involved to stop them.
Statistics
A 2008 survey of Carroll ISD students had parents shaking their heads in disbelief Monday night. Among the statistics were 80 percent of 12th graders admitted to alcohol use at some point, as well as 64 percent of 11th graders, 62 percent of 10th graders and 42 percent of ninth graders. Also, 7 percent of surveyed students admitted to attending class drunk. Twenty-seven percent of 12th graders admitted to drinking and driving.
In terms of drugs, 46 percent of 12th graders said they have used marijuana, and 6 percent of students said they have used hallucinogens. That surpasses the state average of 4 percent. The percentage of students who said they used uppers (6 percent) and Ecstasy (6 percent) is also above the state average. Downers (6 percent) and heroin (1 percent) matched the state average.
One parent noted that these statistics are four years old and are likely worse today.
“We don’t know how many students do these things but just wasn’t honest on the survey either,” she said. “If we think these numbers are scary, what’s scary is that it’s probably a lot higher.”
Calvin Bond, assistant special agent in charge for the DEA, said prescription drugs is quickly becoming the most abused drug. He said it is third behind alcohol and marijuana.
According to a statewide survey, Bond said 21 percent of the respondents said they have used a prescription drug without a prescription. He said that includes Oxycontin, Vicodin and Xanax. Bond said the instances of prescription drugs offered, sold or given to another student on campus is 26 percent.
Bond said many children get their first taste of prescription drug abuse from friends or someone they know before it becomes a problem.
He said it also starts at home with easy access to the medicine cabinet. Officials encouraged parents to get rid of unused medicine at various medication disposal events throughout the area.
“People are breaking into pharmacies for this stuff,” said Chris Hull, diversion investigator for the DEA. “This is a big thing now.”
Officials said it is important to treat prescription drugs as they would any other drug.
“Most parents aren’t talking to their kids about prescription drug problems,” Bond said. “They’re doing a good job of talking about marijuana and alcohol use, but the rest of it is probably not being talked about very often.”
Parent involvement
Officials said parent involvement has many facets, including checking cell phones.
“Track their communication,” Bond said. “If kids are involved in this, they have to communicate with a buyer. Often times they’ll text each other to arrange a meeting to discuss a price.”
Bond said things to watch for include change of behavior, loss of inhibition, constant demand for privacy and secretive phone calls.
He said text abbreviations should be examined. He said “MOS” means mother over shoulder; “PRI” means parent in the room. “CD9” means parents are around. “PRW” means parents are watching.
“If you think there’s an issue, remember that you’re paying for that cell phone bill,” Bond said. “You’re in control. Monitor the phone calls and texts, turn it off or stop their data plan.”
Hull said searches shouldn’t stop at cell phones.
“They’re using all kinds of apps to communicate,” Hull said. “They’re even using video games to communicate.”
Officials said being too protective is better than not being protective enough.
“Parents give their children money, free time, transportation and a cell phone,” Bond said. “They have everything they need to do whatever they want.”
They said parents should also be aware of the changing drug trends. Bond said while prescription drugs are easy to obtain in the family medicine cabinet, other products that appear innocent could be around the house as well.
Bond pointed to synthetic marijuana disguised as incense as another drug teens are using. He showed a package of an incense product called Yolo, which can be smoked to get high. He said most drug tests don’t pick it up, and because of a slight change of molecules during production, they’re technically legal. He added that there are hundreds of brands of this type of product.
Bond said parents should watch for products like that, as well as various items used for drug use: creative-looking pipes, aluminum foil, matches, spoons, mirrors with razor blades and syringes.
He added that watching for bruises on the child’s body is also important, though he said teens are coming up with new places to inject themselves, such as under their fingernails and toenails.
Mylett said parents should also be mindful of where they drop their teens off, noting that even Southlake Town Square has had its problems.
“It’s where kids congregate and where predators prey on innocent victims,” Mylett said.
Mylett told a story of a recent incident in which police were tipped off about a drug situation about to take place in the west parking garage at town square. He said when police arrived, the suspect jumped on a motorcycle and left the city, at one point reaching speeds up to 110 mph on State Highway 114.
“Bond said SH 114, along with Interstate 35W, is a key path for drug activity. He said that in the 1990s, Dallas used to be merely a transit area between drug shipments from Mexico to Chicago, Atlanta and the East Coast. Now, he said, there are drug cartel members in the Dallas/Fort Worth area exercising command and control over drug shipments throughout the U.S.
“The Mexican drug cartels smuggle cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and marijuana into the DFW area,” Bond said. “Methamphetamine quantities have increased recently in this area, and cocaine supplies have decreased.”
What’s being done
With the rise in the drug and alcohol problem in Southlake and the surrounding area, the police department has designated one sergeant for each of the four zones to beef up enforcement and education.
One such responsibility includes following up with parents the day after police receive a call about a house party that involves under age drinking. That includes discussing the ramifications for teens who use alcohol or drugs, as well as for the parents who provide it to them. Mylett said a parent who serves alcohol to a child that is not their own committed a Class A Misdemeanor offense, which is punishable by jail time and a $4,000 fine.
Mylett said there is also a new sergeant assigned to narcotics within the police department.
Carroll Senior High School principal Shawn Duhon also told the parents about an initiative the school is about to begin. Students who are aware of classmates who are using drugs or alcohol and can provide a valid anonymous tip will receive a cash award.
Duhon said he used a similar program in his previous districts and said it worked well. He said it’s needed in CISD since money and technology are in large supply.
“I’m concerned about the extra disposal income that we have in this district,” Duhon said.
SPARK will have a follow-up meeting from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Nov. 12 at Carroll High School, 800 White Chapel. Mylett and student resource officers will be on hand to answer questions.
“This is all designed to protect,” Mylett said. “If we can catch everything before it turns tragic, then we’ve won.”
The following are websites police and DEA officials encourage parents to visit for information on teen drug use:
www.getsmartaboutdrugs.com
www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/yrbs/index.htm
www.sparknow.org
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