When parents, grandparents, community leaders and interested residents left Cornell's auditorium after the Northern Area Alliance Against Highly Addictive Drugs town meeting, they left with more than the knowledge of the signs of drug use.

One of the speakers, Mike Manko of the Allegheny County District Attorney's office, revealed the high cost of going through the court system after a child is arrested.

He also warned about the permanence of cyber space; pointed out that every school has a drug problem and that drugs have no barriers; encouraged parents to communicate with their children; and urged parents to learn how to check their children's text messages.

"If your kid is busted as a juvenile," Manko said, "it will cost you from $2,000 to $5,000 to go through the courts. If he is over 18, it could cost from $10,000 to $25,000."

In addition, although juveniles' records are confidential, they can be accessed later in the child's life. That could mean he won't be hired for any type of job needing security clearance.

"If a child's name is in any newspaper article concerning drugs, it will be in cyber space forever," Manko said.

Even years later, if potential employers see the article, they could think twice before hiring that person, even if that person had nothing to do with any crime.

He also warned parents that, although it might have been easy to spot drug users and dealers years ago, it isn't so easy today.

"They have no certain look to them, and drugs don't recognize social or economic or family barriers," Manko said. "It affects all walks of life, and some drugs are so addictive, they can cause addiction the first time they are used."

Communication with kids is the key to helping them to make the decision to turn down the offer of drugs that first time. However, at least one opportunity for that communication has all but disappeared in America, Manko said. He believes the reinstitution of the dinner hour, when families sit down together at the table each night, may be able to bring back more communication between parents and youth.

Being nosy is another tool. He said parents are too concerned these days about offending their child or invading their privacy. Manko told parents to remember that they pay for their child's cell phone bills and are entitled to check what kind text messages the child receives and what kind he is sending.

"You should know how to retrieve those messages," he said. "Text messages are the number one way that drug deals go down."

One parent wanted to know what kinds of drugs were prevalent in Coraopolis, especially if crystal meth appears to be a problem.

The borough narcotics officer, who also spoke at the meeting, said the drug has not appeared in town, but he did say there may be some crystal meth labs in the area. He encouraged anyone who sees or smells anything suspicious to call police.

"There's lots of heroin and crack in Coraopolis," he said. "And, there's lots of young kids out there using marijuana.

"We just caught a 15 year old walking down the street smoking a joint. He said he didn't think anything of it because marijuana is not that bad.

"We need to get these kids coming up to not deal with this stuff and make a dent in the supply and demand."

He pointed out that kids may not even realize what they are risking when they buy drugs, especially the first time.

"You can be the best guardian and have the best child, and they can still end up as alcoholics or drug addicts. It can happen to anyone."

The first step, he said, is for parents to take care of their own child, then to work on the community.

Al Willi, alliance president, summed it up for parents, "Tell children you love them, and in the same breath, tell them at a young age that drugs and alcohol will not be tolerated in your home."

For more information on the alliance, check the Web site at www.drug-alliance.org To see videos, look under multimedia, use alliance as the user name and whatsinyourwallet for the password.