Being available for education on kids and drug use

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (KNOP) - As parents, many know how busy everyday lives can be. Making time for all the activities, and things that go hand-in-hand with raising kids, one local group just want to help make sure everyone is taking the time for the tough topics.

The coalition for the North Platte’s Community Connection’s Substance Abuse Prevention System is doing what they can to be available with information for those parents who need it. They say, being educated on all the facts, including how marijuana use affects growing brains, is important.

“We are just wanting to be a presence for our community. We want to be available to talk to parents, and to talk to teens.” --Linda Logsdon, SAPS Coalition member

Logsdon and other coalition members set up at the North Platte High School and St. Pat’s high school basketball games on Friday. It’s not the first, nor will it be the last, time the coalition has placed themselves near kids and parents to bring awareness. The school is getting involved too. They see the problem. North Platte High School Activities Director Jordan Codney made a presentation during one of North Platte High’s basketball games, Friday, supporting the fight against drugs and drug use, and reminding parents to talk to their children about the risks and harms of marijuana.

The coalition is offering an anonymous survey that was made available on Friday, asking people simple questions about perceptions of drug use locally. They say the surveys are returned to UNL for processing to include North Platte, and western Nebraska, in the demographics considered when making decisions concerning such things.

Students at St. Pat’s agreed when asked that there “is a problem” in Lincoln County concerning drugs, including marijuana. Marijuana, while controversial in use by many, is, according to the coalition members dangerous for the developing brains of young people, and highly addictive. It is also, they say, a gateway drug that quickly and commonly goes alongside methamphetamine use. They say “meth” is also a growing problem in Lincoln County.