Plainfield Parents, District 202 To Host Meeting On Vaping, Drugs

PLAINFIELD, IL —District 202 parents will have a chance to learn more about concerning new trends in youth consumption at a public meeting in October. The meeting will cover the use of vaping, marijuana and opioids among students.

The Plainfield Parent Community Network and District 202 are teaming up to present "Vaping, Marijuana and Opioids — What Do You Know?" at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 10 at Plainfield East High School, 12001 Naperville Rd. It is free and open to the public.

At the event, parents will learn more about trends in teen drug use, including the skyrocketing use of vaping. In Illinois, there have been 22 vaping-related illnesses and one death, and the Center for Disease Control has advised people to stop using the products.

"It is vitally important that our community understand the signifcant, dangerous and sometimes deadly impact that each of these can have on our children, Tim Albores, District 202's director of high school services, said in a statement. "We hope that sharing this information may help parents help their kids make good life choices that will keep them safe."

The program will include a presentation from Dr. Kathleen Burke, Will County's director of substance use initiatives, and Dr. Aaron Weiner, who will speak about treating addiction and substance abuse. Weiner serves on the Science Advisory Board for Smart Approaches to Marijuana.

The event will also include the screening of the trailer for "Hidden In Plain Sight," which shows parents where kids may be hiding drugs. There will be a resource fair and a panel conversation, including time for a question-and-answer session.

Those invited to attend include: parents, guardians and other family members, teachers, administrators, social workers, psychologists and nurses. Professional development credits will be available for teachers and counselors who attend the program.