The Back to School (August 14-20, 2002) advertisement of the “Wild Oats Natural Marketplace” features “Hempmania” products for kids.

You can buy wallets, fanny packs, backpacks and large urban bags made of hemp. A contest to win a hemp backpack is featured with a picture of a young child and an apple.

Hemp is marijuana. Both come from the same plant. The human eye cannot tell the difference between a hemp marijuana plant and the marijuana plant that is smoked to get high.

If you would like to protest the marketing of hemp to children, call 1-800-494-WILD or contact the company on the Internet at www.wildoats.com.

Thank you goes to the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission (NLCC) for responding to PRIDE-Omaha, Inc.’s appeal to ban “Zippers” in Nebraska.

On July 31, 2002, the NLCC voted to ask Nebraska wholesalers to voluntarily ban this commercially produced “Jell-O shot” alcohol product that looks like a children’s snack.

At the hearing, PRIDE-Omaha, Inc. testified that this product crosses the line regarding responsible alcohol manufacturing and promotion. The advertising and packaging fit all of the accepted definitions of marketing targeted to youth. The product itself is very appealing to children because it looks like food and the gelatin masks the taste of alcohol. Children, especially girls, generally dislike the taste of alcohol. “Jell-O shots” make alcohol easier for them to consume.

Susie Dugan, PRIDE-Omaha, Inc. Executive Director, stated that our organization has received much support from the public in general for our position on this subject.

At the hearing, Project Extra Mile and Mothers Against Drunk Driving also testified against “Zippers”.

A representative from the company that manufactures “Zippers” stated at the hearing that his company has heard the complaints from groups like PRIDE-Omaha, Inc. and is responding by changing the packaging. He stated that he was shocked at the NLCC’s quick decision to ask for the voluntary ban.

Bob Logsdon, Chairman of the NLCC states that the manufacturer can come back to the Commission once it has finished revamping its product.

The U.S. Supreme Court recently held that we have an "epidemic of drug use" among our school children and that student drug testing is an effective means of preventing, deterring, and detecting drug use. The Court recently decided, Board of Education v. Earls, a case asking whether a school's interest in deterring students from using drugs by the use of random drug testing outweighed the privacy interest of the students. The Court decided in favor of the schools and parents who want their children to be drug-free.

When drugs invade a school, threatening the safety of students and disturbing the orderly learning environment, the school's interest in ridding the school of drugs outweighs the privacy interests of individual students.

The school years are a critical passage in a young person's life. While in school, children face the challenge of learning in the academic, social, physical, and emotional realms. When drugs infect a school, the learning process is crippled. Children become casualties. The physical and psychological effects of alcohol and other drug use can cause lifelong and profound losses. Substance use decreases a child's chances of graduation and academic success.

Researchers continually report statistics demonstrating that student use of alcohol and other drugs is at a dangerous level. For example, the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University reports that for the last six years school children have listed drugs as the most important problem they face.

A 1997 CASA survey revealed that high school students see more drug deals at school than in their neighborhoods. In the survey, 76% of high school students claim that drugs are kept, used or sold on school grounds. In addition, 29% of high school students claim that a student in their school died from a drug or alcohol-related incident in the past year.

CASA also reports that substance abuse adds at least $41 billion dollars to the costs of elementary and secondary education in terms of special education, teacher turnover, truancy, property damage, injury, counseling, and other costs.

According to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, students who use drugs are more likely to bring guns and knives to school, leading to school violence. According to the state report, assaults are up 30%, with school staff as victims in 19% of the cases.

Schools must be allowed to use all reasonable means to combat alcohol and other drug use if education is to be successful and our schools are to be safe. Drug testing deters drug use and gives students a reason to say "no" when their peers ask them to use drugs.

Random drug testing is intended to give schools a stronger weapon to get drugs out of schools. School drug testing programs are a proven low-cost method to win the fight for our children's future. Consider the results of random drug testing of athletes at Hunterdon Central Regional High School in Flemington, New Jersey. After two years of testing they experienced a decline in 20 of 28 categories of drug use among the entire student body.

Our nation uses random drug testing on military personnel and transportation workers to insure national security and safe travel. Our interests in student safety, health, and educational quality are equally compelling. We must be willing to use the same tools to defend our children.

Tobacco is a gateway drug for young people — those who use tobacco are at high risk to use other drugs and to also engage in other risky behavior.

The average age of first use of tobacco in Nebraska is eleven. Big Tobacco needs kids to become addicted — or they have no customers 30 years from now. Adults rarely start using tobacco for the first time.

The Guardian Angel Personal Alcohol Test ™ might be an effective prevention tool for parents to have on hand.

The test strips are made for drivers to test the wisdom of driving cars after consuming alcohol. However, parents of minors can have a supply on hand as a prevention measure.

Parents can let their children know that they are serious when they make the rules that minors should not consume alcohol. They should be certain to discuss expectations with their children and let them know they will use the test any time they are suspicious of alcohol use. PRIDE-Omaha, Inc. does not endorse this product.

It is one of the first to be available at local pharmacies and retail stores. It usually costs less than $2 per pack. The package claims that it is reliable and has been proven in laboratory tests. Ì

As part of the Red Ribbon Drug Prevention Walk and Rally on September 29, 2002, free t-shirts will be distributed to the first 350 people in attendance.

The Walk and Rally is set for 1 to 3 pm at Heartland of America Park, 8^th and Douglas Streets.

This free event is open to children, families, and other concerned citizens of all age groups. A live DJ, Spirit Contests, prizes, free food and many other fun activities will mark this occasion. The Rally is a good time for parents and others to talk to children and renew their commitment for drug-free children and communities.

Your group can march in the parade or sponsor a booth, create a game for young children or simply come to enjoy this fun event. See the entry forms on pages 6 & 7, or call PRIDE-Omaha, Inc. at 402-397-3309 for more details.

PRIDE-Omaha, Inc. has created a postcard to send restaurants that allow smoking. The message is simply that you would return more often if the restaurant were entirely smoke-free.

Smoke-free environments help encourage tobacco prevention among youth. The more smoke-free environments that are established, the fewer opportunities children have to smoke.

The Quit Line is paid for through tobacco settlement funds. Ì

This drug looks like candy and is often marketed right next to candy on store shelves. It can be found locally in self-serve displays at convenience stores and gas stations, especially in the Bellevue area.

Ariva is one of several products containing nicotine being rushed to the marketplace in recent months. Since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cannot regulate tobacco products, some nicotine products that are labeled as a tobacco product are exempt from all regulation. The FDA is not allowed by law to regulate tobacco products.

On December 18, 2001, several major health organizations filed a joint petition to regulate these products containing the highly addictive drug nicotine. While the FDA did rule against nicotine water, no action was taken on nicotine lollipops, lip gloss or lozenges.

PRIDE-Omaha, Inc. urges readers who find Ariva or any other nicotine product featured in “help yourself” displays to talk to store managers.

The following resources have been added to the PRIDE-Omaha, Inc. Resource Center and Library for reference and loan:

“Got A Minute? Prevention Through Parenting Kit.” For parents and other concerned adults. Created by the Centers for Disease Control, the kit contains a complete instruction guide, CD-ROM, brochures, tent cards, suggested print and radio ads and public relations recommendations for prevention.

“Dispelling The Myths About Tobacco: A Community Toolkit For Reducing Tobacco Use Among Women.” Target audience is girls and women. This kit contains suggestions and ideas in the form of presentations, programs, media outreach, a 17-minute educational video and other activities.

The National Cross-Site Evaluation Of High-Risk Youth Programs. This series of 5 booklets summarizes the major findings of a comprehensive study by the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention. The target audience is any adult interested in primary drug prevention. The findings help us understand how prevention can strengthen conditions that help youth at risk avoid substance use.

Alcohol And The Brain. A video (18 min.) for middle school to adult. Captivating summary of the important, new research that shows how alcohol harms various parts of the brain.