The mother of a 15-year-old boy who died of alcohol poisoning once told Carol Falkowski, &uot;I had to idea that drinking too much alcohol could kill you, and my son didn’t either. Why didn’t they tell me?&uot;

Falkowski, director of research communications at the Hazelden Foundation, said the conversation led her to begin speaking publicly to educate parents and others about the facts about drugs, something she said many parents don’t understand. She will speak at 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 22, in the Albert Lea High School auditorium. She has been a consultant to the Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Justice and the American Bar Association.

&uot;A lot of parents don’t even realize what’s out there,&uot; she said. Or she said their understanding of what’s out there is based on their youth.

But she said today there is a larger variety of drugs available to younger kids than before.

&uot;Whether they like it or not there’s not a middle-schooler in the country that can’t find a joint and the $5 to buy it with.&uot;

But she said heroin, coke, meth are all more accessible.

She said she plans on discussing new drugs, signs that kids are using drugs, slang for drugs, and how to deal with kids using drugs. She’ll answer questions afterwards.

She said it’s important to know that &uot;If your child develops a problem with drug abuse that doesn’t make the kid a bad kid or you a bad parent,&uot; she said.

&uot;There is hardly a family in the United States that hasn’t been affected by drug and alcohol abuse.&uot;

But she said it’s important that parents, schools and other members of the community tell kids why they should not use drugs. She said some parents say, &uot;Well, my kid had DARE in first grade.&uot; She said that’s not enough.

Assistant Police Chief Dwaine Winkels said the town is lucky to have such a qualified speaker. He said being informed about drugs is important to preventing their use.

&uot;Everybody that is a kid to today is going to be exposed to drugs. We have to educate our kids to make the best decision possible,&uot; he said.

(Contact Tim Sturrock at tim.sturrock@albertleatribune.com or 379-3438.)