As Republican Rep. Jack Kemp of New York told Congress recently, continued use and abuse of drugs and alcohol by young people is “more than an individual family crisis – it’s a national tragedy.” If the congressman’s information is correct, two-thirds of all American youngsters experiment with drugs and alcohol before they finish high school. The problem should be of ongoing concern in communities cross the country. Kemp noted that families in Amherst, N.Y., currently are pursuing a program to create a positive atmosphere for preventing and dealing with drug and alcohol abuse. The program, which could provide ideas and motivation for other areas, consists of these 15 points, condensed from the Congressional Record: 1. Get educated. Famliarize yourself with drug terminology, drug effects, and patterns of behavior common to adolescents, 2. Parents are role models. We set an example for the kinds of adults we want our children to become by our own behavior. Think about that each time you smoke, drink, or ignore the speed limit. 3. Regulations. Set down rules that are really important to you and your family. 4. Enforcement. Establish a clear set of consequences for misbehavior. Make sure everyone knows about them and that both parents enforce them equally. 5, Curfews. Set reasonable times when you expect your teenagers to be home at night. Use good judgment and be willing to compromise. 6. Hard-line anti-drug policy. Make your youngsters aware that you will not allow the use or abuse of drugs, alcohol, or tobacco in your home by them or their peers. 7. Alternatives. Create “natural highs” for your children. Find .out what they are good at and get them involved. 8. Give praise. Compliment your youngsters when they do something “right.” Accent the positive. 9. Listen. Knowing how to listen is the most important tool you have as a parent. Use it. 10. Touch your children. Remember there is nothing “wrong” with a kiss or a hug. While you’re at it, tell them you love them! 11. Build self-esteem. Don’t knock your youngsters, nor reinforce the negative feelings adolescents have about themselves. They need your support. Help give them confidence. 12, Responsibility. It’s important to feel needed. Giving responsibility to your teenagers helps prepare them for the world outside the family. 13. Don’t shelter your youngsters. Let teenagers ”feel” and “experience” the ups and downs of living. All discomforts of life are not necessarily disadvantageous. They help train children to meet adverse circumstances in later life and to cope with stress. 14. Set goals. Setting objectives and achieving them through hard work helps build a desire to succeed. 15. Develop tolerance. Untrained youth who. have not learnedj through “normal growing pains” how to cope, have a low tolerance for any type of suffering. They are most susceptible to .the drug culture. They need your patience as well as your guidance. These are the ”15 Commandments” in one city’s fight against drugalcohol abuse. No come: munity has a monopoljt; on ideas. What one does might spark renewed ef-Q: forts by another. ;i Drug and alcoholiabuse have been around a long time as a destructive force. We must never grow weary ofcombating the problem.