"Although virtually all mothers and fathers are concerned about the challenges of raising their kids in today's world, many fail to take essential actions to prevent their kids from smoking, drinking or using drugs," according to a report from the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (CASA).

Using data from a telephone survey of teens and parents, the organization defines "problem parents" as those who fail to 1) monitor their children's school night activities; 2) safeguard prescription drugs in the home; 3) address the problem of drugs in schools; and 4) set a good example.

Failure to monitor school night socializing

Nearly one-half, 46 percent, of teens say that they typically go out with friends on school nights, while only 14 percent of parents say that their teens do so.

Once out, 53 percent of teens come home between 8 and 10 p.m., and 15 percent come home later than that.

The later teens stay out, the more likely they are to use alcohol or other drugs; even among older teens. Nearly one-third, 29 percent, of those who come home between 8 and 10: p.m. and 50 percent of those who come home after 10 p.m. say there's alcohol or drug use among the kids they are with.

Failure to safeguard prescription drugs

One-third of teens who know someone who abuses prescription drugs say that person gets the drugs from parents, home, or medicine cabinets.

Failure to address drugs in school

One-third of parents think that the presence of drugs in school does not make it more likely that their child will use drugs. Yet previous National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse surveys have found that teens attending schools where drugs are used, kept or sold are five times likely to use marijuana, 15 times more likely to use prescription drugs and 16 times more likely to use an illegal drug (other than marijuana or prescription drugs).

Failure to set a good example

One-fourth of all teens know a parent of a classmate or friend who uses marijuana and 10 percent say that this parent smokes with people the teens' age.

According to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, "by identifying the characteristics of these problem parents, we hope to identify actions that parents can take—and avoid, in order to raise healthy, drug-free children and become part of the solution."

In the West Seattle community, the Southwest Healthy Youth Partnership has developed strategies to address these very issues in our community, so our children will be alcohol and drug free and to adequately educate parents on how to prevent their children from using alcohol and other substances.

Please join us for our end-of-the-year meeting and strategic planning session for 2009. Our next meeting will be on Dec. 30, 2008 at 6 p.m. at Southwest Police Precinct, 2300 S.W. Webster.

The entire community is welcome and we will recognize members that have been involved during the 2008 year.

The coalition is funded by a Strategic Prevention Framework-State Incentive Grant (SPF-SIG) from the Federal Center and Washington State Department of Alcohol and Substance Abuse (DASA).

For more information please contact Renae Gaines, Community Coordinator at (206) 396-2945 or rtgaines@seattleschools.org.