Parents meet to discuss teen drug use

EASTHAMPTON, Mass. (WWLP) - Easthampton parents are getting a look at the high school Thursday night, but they'll be talking about more than teachers and grades.

The focus of meeting is to reduce alcohol and marijuana use among young people and the event is town wide because it really takes the whole community's involvement to make an impact.

Fourteen percent of Hampshire county 8th graders reported drinking last year. That percentage grew to nearly a third of 10th graders, and more than half of Hampshire County high school seniors.

Students will talk about the peer pressures they face to drink, and the assistant district attorney will talk about the legal action parents face for supplying alcohol to their kids. An Easthampton patrolman told 22news about a harmful trend he's seen during his years working in the schools.

“There's a lot of out of sight out of mind parenting. They think their kids are okay and most of the time they probably are but parents still need to be diligent and check on their kids and make sure they're safe and know where they're at,” Alan Schadel told 22News.