Drug overdoses are killing over 100,000 Americans each year under the age of 40. You would have to say that is a problem. How do you overcome this problem? More enforcement of the drug laws and stopping the flow of drugs into our country is a good idea. Drug users going into rehab voluntarily or as part of their sentencing is a way of helping them, but relapse happens many times.
One way is through education, because education is prevention. It is better to prevent drug use than to rehabilitate a user. The schools and public health can do more to help our young to recognize the dangers and control that drugs can have on their bodies and minds.
Well-developed drug awareness educational programs should be taught in our schools and start at an early age. Give them the facts early, and help them to avoid the temptation of experimenting with drugs due to peer pressure. We all know by now that drug dealers are disguising fentanyl to look like milder, less lethal party drugs. As citizens, parents, teachers and law enforcement, we need to teach our children the facts as soon as they can understand. The earlier the better. Don’t talk to strangers, don’t walk alone, beware of your surroundings, and now don’t take any medicine/drugs from friends or strangers.
The Lord Baltimore Lions Club is trying to help. We have sponsored two drug-awareness poster contests at Selbyville Middle School. Now, Lord Baltimore Elementary School and the Selbyville Middle School are going to get these messages to their students using commercial-grade drug awareness posters that are age-appropriate and which they select.
It has been said that 80 percent of our learning is through vision. The Lions Club has given $200 to the schools to select the commercial posters with messages that they feel are appropriate to their students, to help raise their awareness that drugs are dangerous and to supplement their drug education programs.
If this idea has merit, perhaps other organizations can sponsor drug-awareness posters for schools in their areas.
