Pubdate: Thu, 23 Mar 2006
Source: Leaf-Chronicle, The (US TN)
Copyright: 2006, The Leaf-Chronicle
Contact:  http://www.theleafchronicle.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1601
Author: Melissa Tyndall, The Leaf-Chronicle
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

PROGRAM GIVES KIDS PERSPECTIVE ON DRUGS

Officials Also Renew Safe Driving Message to Local Students

The "Meth is Death" campaign hit Clarksville High  School Wednesday,
illustrating the devastating effects  of methamphetamines to students.

"Meth is not a stranger to the United States, Tennessee  or United
States' citizens," District Attorney General  John Carney said
Wednesday. "It was used by the Germans  to stay awake to fight the
U.S. during the war, and it  was used by kamikaze pilots. It is a
killer --  explosive, dangerous -- and it will ruin your life."

The campaign, a joint effort between Carney's office  and the
Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, first  warned students of the
dangers of meth by informing  them of chemicals used to produce the
drug.

A "Meth is Death" video shown to students indicated  methamphetamines
are made with sinus medication and  toxic chemicals such as nail
polish remover, rubbing  alcohol, lye and battery acid.

David Parnell, who was to be a program speaker, was  unable to make
the assembly.

Parnell, one of four Tennesseans in "Meth is Death,"  was scheduled to
elaborate on his attempted suicide,  which was depicted in the video.
Parnell was to discuss  his personal experience as an example of the
dangers  and downfalls associated with methamphetamines --  living
with the everlasting effects of shooting himself  which shattered
nearly every bone in his face.

Though he was unable to attend the CHS assembly,  organizers said
Parnell plans to attend the 7 p.m.  Wednesday event at Madison Street
Church of Christ.

Sheriff Norman Lewis said highlights of the video  affected students
as intended when observing  expressions on their faces or the
occasional gasps from  the audience. Lewis said the program is
two-pronged --  educating the community about meth, as well as
focusing  on traffic safety and accidents.

The Sheriff's Office is particularly concerned with  avoiding traffic
fatalities involving students  following 17 deaths of teens in wrecks
during 2004.

No fatal wrecks involving students have happened so far  in
2006.

"We received $50,000 from the County Commission last  year that we
have used -- last year and this year -- to  add more traffic
officers," Lewis said.

One CHS student shared with her peers a first-hand  experience about
how alcohol-related crashes can affect  students.

Katie Weatherford recounted the night her twin brother,  Kyle, was
killed in a car wreck in August of 2004 when  his vehicle was struck
by another driver.

"Don't ride with someone under the influence,"  Weatherford said. "It
might be your last ride."

CHS students further grasped the concept of driving  under the
influence by donning goggles that simulate  drunken driving and
operating a golf cart.

Students first negotiated the course without the  glasses, then their
peers' compared their driving  abilities once the goggles were on.

"It wasn't that much different," Jeremy Bosley, a  senior at CHS, said
of the exercise. "Except, I  couldn't see where I was going as well,
and it made me  a little dizzy." 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake