| In the past there have been problems that would run | | | | it. |
| right through a generation. Sometimes it was a | | | | Advertising is slick and aimed directly and the target |
| plague, an illness that brought a generation to its | | | | audience-- the young and impressionable kids who are |
| knees like polio. In other times, famine or wars that | | | | out for fun and adventure. Expensive advertising |
| pulled families apart and sent towns or whole regions | | | | displays young, healthy people, smoking, drinking and |
| into exile. | | | | using marijuana or ecstasy seemingly without any |
| These times were marked and remembered and | | | | consequences. This is so common that it goes |
| from them we learned. The plagues of the middle | | | | without notice from the older generations, but the |
| ages were brought on largely because of a complete | | | | kids see it well and take the hidden messages |
| lack of hygiene. Eventually, the customs changed and | | | | without realizing they are being sold a bill of goods. |
| bathing is now the norm. Cures or preventions were | | | | Entire movies are dedicated to making illegal drug use |
| discovered for illnesses and some of them, small pox, | | | | seem not only acceptable, but normal to the point of |
| for example, have faded into history. We learned, | | | | being expected. |
| and the learning is what made the difference. Mankind | | | | There is only one defense against this newest plague. |
| rose above the ignorance and gained another step | | | | Only one thing that can defeat the army of drug |
| away from barbarism. | | | | dealers and growers who walk among us |
| Now we are in the midst of another epidemic; one | | | | anonymously, picking out strays. |
| that takes the lives of millions of people, worldwide, | | | | That defense is awareness. These cockroaches |
| each year. That plague is the plague of drug abuse | | | | cannot stand the light of day, the light of truth. |
| and drug addiction. This, however, is a different type | | | | If the young are made fully aware of their existence |
| of sickness. This plague is intentionally spread into our | | | | and their intentions, drug pushers will no longer have |
| cities and our towns by people who profit from the | | | | customers. If every kid fully knows the damages |
| unfortunate individuals who become addicted to their | | | | that smoking anything can do to their lungs and heart |
| poisons. | | | | and mind, the dealers will have to go find some other |
| These drug pushers prey on the young and the | | | | slimy way to make their money. |
| uneducated because those are the easiest targets. | | | | It is the job...No, it is the DUTY of every parent and |
| Educated and experienced people do not so easily fall | | | | every teacher and every big brother to ensure that |
| for the tricks of the pushers, so these "dealers" | | | | young people are made aware of these facts. The |
| spend time around places where the young gather, | | | | information is available, it has been for years. |
| trying to blend into the group and look like a friend or | | | | Support efforts to really educate our youth about |
| just another kid when really, they are there only for | | | | the dangers and pitfalls of drugs. Give to local drug |
| the purpose of spreading poison for profit. | | | | prevention campaigns and to fundraisers in your |
| New drugs are invented constantly, and older drugs | | | | neighborhoods to raise drug awareness in schools and |
| are given new names so the warnings of the past do | | | | on playgrounds. |
| not apply to them and the pushers convince the | | | | If we all pull together long enough and hard enough, |
| youngsters that this drug is safer than the old drugs. | | | | this plague will end up a memory, a memory like small |
| They push the lie that older people and doctors are | | | | pox. Then it will just be another subject to be |
| wrong or are simply lying about the dangers of using | | | | studied in history classes. |