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The non-profit organization Llano Alliance for Drug Intervention, Inc. (LADI) is partnering with local pharmacies, Sun Rise Beach Village and Llano National Bank for the launch of LADI’s Love Your Child: In-Home Drug/Alcohol Test Kits Program. LADI is providing instant-read drug and alcohol test kits for parents use. They will be available at participating local pharmacies and the Sunrise Beach Village City Hall. The participating pharmacies are; in Llano – Corner Drug; in Kingsland – Bowen’s Pharmacy; in Horseshoe Bay – Bay Pharmacy and in Sunrise Beach Village – City Hall. Llano National Bank has setup a special account for LADI to accept tax-deductible contributions to help sustain this program. DONATIONS ARE IMPORTANT, Please Contribute.

In-Home drug and alcohol tests can be a useful parenting tool when they are properly used to identify and deter the signs and symptoms of teen drug/alcohol use and abuse. Parents can use these in-home test kits to give teens a socially acceptable excuse to resist peer pressure and inspect what they expect.

Don Graham, LADI President explains, "We advocate testing youth annually, starting at age 10-12, so it is accepted as routine. In-Home drug and alcohol testing gives a child the best excuse in front of their peers. A child who is drug-tested from age 12 on, isn’t likely to ask for the car keys at age 16, and object to being tested. Privileges are tied to being drug and alcohol free. "

The In-Home Test Kits will test for Cocaine (Stimulant), Marijuana, Opiates (Codeine-Morphine-Heroin-Narcotics), Amphetamine (Stimulant) and Oxycodone (Oxycontin). An additional in-home test kit will test for Alcohol. Cleo Cooper, certified Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC) feels this will help families, "We recognize that the use of gateway drugs like marijuana and alcohol is starting at increasingly younger ages. Parents need to become aware at the first sign of a problem."

After a decade of consistent declines in teen drug abuse, a new national study released March, 2010 by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America and MetLife Foundation points to marked upswings in use of drugs that teens are likely to encounter at parties and in other social situations. According to the 2009 Partnership Attitude Tracking Study (PATS), the number of teens in grades 9-12 that used alcohol in the past month has grown by 11 percent, (from 35 percent in 2008 to 39 percent in 2009), past year Ecstasy use shows a 67 percent increase (from 6 percent in 2008 to 10 percent in 2009) and past year marijuana use shows a 19 percent increase (from 32 percent in 2008 to 38 percent in 2009).

Dennis White, president and CEO of MetLife Foundation added that "the earlier parents take steps to address a child’s drug or alcohol use, the greater the chance they’ll be effective in preventing a serious problem. We need to be sure parents know when it’s time to act, and how to act when confronted with a substance abuse situation."

The LADI Love Your Child: In-Home Drug/Alcohol Test Kit Program is endorsed by; many Llano Clergy, Llano Independent School District (LISD), Llano County law enforcement and elected officials, as well as by local elected officials. LADI will continue work closely with these organizations and officials to ensure this program is successful.

The In-Home Drug and Alcohol Test Kits sell for $5.00 each with the money collected used to cover the costs of printing/packaging and to replenish and sustain the program. They can be purchased at: Corner Drug in Llano, Bowen’s Pharmacy in Kingsland, Bay Pharmacy in Horseshoe Bay and Sunrise Beach Village City Hall.

To find out more about LADI and the Love Your Child: In-Home Drug/Alcohol Test Kit Program, Contact Don Graham or Cleo Cooper (325.247.4477) or at www.l-a-d-i.org LADI’s website. An additional source of information on this subject can be found at www.testmyteen.org.

The Love Your Child: Home Drug/Alcohol Test Kit Program are easy to use, private, accurate and take from 3 to 5 minutes for results.