Pubdate: Sun, 10 Aug 2003
Source: Kingsport Times-News (TN)
Copyright: 2003 Kingsport Publishing Corporation
Contact:  http://www.timesnews.net/index.cgi
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1437
Author: Amy Gatley, Times-News
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?135 (Drug Education)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

KINGSPORT SCHOOLS PLAN DRUG EDUCATION FOR PARENTS

Law enforcement officials say it's a fact that some teenagers in the 
community are using drugs. But how to recognize the signs of drug use may 
be a mystery to parents.

Kingsport City Schools in conjunction with the Counterdrug Operations 
Center is hosting an in-service on drug usage in the area Monday.

Teachers, parents and community members are invited to attend the 
presentation, which will discuss strategies to recognize usage and signs of 
the operation of a methamphetamine lab. The in-service will be held at 
Robinson Middle School from 8 a.m. until noon.

Chief Warrant Officer Lou Wilson, a presenter at Monday's event, said the 
in-service will discuss signs, smells and symbols of drug use that can be 
helpful to parents and teachers in recognizing the problem.

Knowing how to detect a methamphetamine lab is also important, especially 
for teachers or school staff who may do home visits for students during the 
year."We've got a 20-foot methamphetamine trailer, an education trailer 
that we have an actual meth lab that is inactive built inside of it. We are 
going to bring that. We are also going to do an all-drug awareness briefing 
and what programs we have available," Wilson said.

KCS Administrative Assistant Barbara Moody said the program was offered 
last year to some administrators in the system and was so informative it 
has been expanded for the entire staff and community this year.

"It will show us how to recognize if kids are involved in using ecstasy or 
around meth and the things going on in the area. ... It's also wonderful 
for parents and the PTA to recognize symptoms of drug use. We all need to 
be aware. Anyone who works with kids needs to be aware," Moody said.

The Counterdrug Operations Center is a division of the Tennessee National 
Guard's Southeast Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force.
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager