Priscilla Presley cautions parents about drug use among children

McAlester - Priscilla Presley, who endured the drug addictions of her husband and daughter, says parents need to realize children as young as elementary school age are using drugs. <br><br>``I have a 16-year-old

Sunday, September 21st 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6


McAlester - Priscilla Presley, who endured the drug addictions of her husband and daughter, says parents need to realize children as young as elementary school age are using drugs.

``I have a 16-year-old son so I'm around teenagers a lot and I see what they're going through,'' Presley said Saturday before speaking in McAlester. ``More than half of our nation's youth have tried illegal drugs before they finish high school.''

Presley said she has heard of children as young as 8 and 10 using drugs, and noted that the drug culture has changed since the '60s and '70s.

``I never heard about that in my earlier years,'' she said. ``Drinking beer was about it for me.''

She said people then didn't understand the dangers of prescribed drugs in particular.

``I feel they were and have been given in excess,'' said Presley, 58, who was married to Elvis from 1967 to 1973. ``We're seeing repercussions of that today.''

Besides Elvis, who died of drug abuse and heart disease in 1977, and her daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, who dabbled in drugs as a teen, Presley says she has several friends with cocaine and heroin habits.

``Throughout my life, I've had the heartbreaking experiences of family and friends fall the victim of alcohol and drugs,'' she said.

logo

Get The Daily Update!

Be among the first to get breaking news, weather, and general news updates from News on 6 delivered right to your inbox!

More Like This

September 21st, 2003

March 14th, 2024

December 4th, 2023

September 25th, 2023

Top Headlines

March 29th, 2024

March 29th, 2024

March 29th, 2024

March 29th, 2024