| We did everything the experts told us to do. We did | | | | drugs (the fact that even doing drugs is a crime, |
| what we thought was right. But lurking around every | | | | notwithstanding) they don't need to be sequestered in |
| corner was the Monster. The Monster was waiting to | | | | jail with hardened criminals. They need treatment, not |
| pounce on us and steal our dreams and destroy our | | | | punishment. |
| future. He did. Bigtime! | | | | Although ridiculed, Nancy Reagan was spot on with |
| You may know the Monster by another name - Drugs! | | | | her "Just Say No" message. But that won't work in |
| Whatever name you give him, he's an unforgiving and | | | | and of itself. We must attack this with as much vigor |
| unrelenting monster who, according to the DEA, claims | | | | as the anti-tobacco campaign. Until science discovers |
| the lives of one American every 20 minutes. | | | | a cure for addiction, the only remedy truly is prevention. |
| When our son died, I could not bring myself to utter the | | | | "Be smart - Don't start." |
| words - "he died from a multidrug overdose." I could | | | | We have to start early on talking to our kids about |
| merely say his heart stopped. He was a 31-year-old | | | | drugs, showing them the horrific consequences of drug |
| Paramedic and RN. The dregs of society? No. He was | | | | abuse. Let them see the drug addicts in hospitals and |
| a young man with promise, talent, intelligence, good | | | | nursing homes who are alive but not really living. |
| looks, kindness and every loving attribute you can | | | | It is never too early to talk to our kids about drugs, but |
| describe. | | | | it can be too late. |
| Some kids do drugs to feel good or their peers entice | | | | Our schools must implement drug prevention classes |
| them to do so but a lot of kids start taking drugs to | | | | beginning with first grade and tailored to their level of |
| self-medicate their emotional pain. | | | | comprehension! |
| We can no longer remain silent about drug addiction. | | | | We must make mental illness a top priority. If we don't, |
| For far too long we've sat back and let the experts | | | | we run the risk of more Cho Seung Hue's and others |
| speak for us. Now we must speak. | | | | of his ilk, in our midst. |
| We must not only get a firm handle on drug addiction | | | | All of us must be proactive. The time has long passed |
| but we must do all that we can to help the mentally ill. | | | | to close our ears and eyes to this abomination |
| Mental illness and drug addiction quite often go hand in | | | | perpetrated on our children by the drug dealers - the |
| hand. | | | | true Addiction Monsters. |
| Three and four week rehabs are not the answer. | | | | I am one of the mothers of a child who died from the |
| Jail time is not the answer. Unless an addicted person | | | | disease of addiction and I am speaking up. Won't you |
| has committed a crime while under the influence of | | | | join me? |