To the Editor:
Through columns on your newspaper website like "Avoidance Better Than Arrests, Prison, Death" my attention has been drawn to your spotlight on forums focused on drug prevention in high schools. With the increase in use of drugs for recreational use among youths, this is a timely and
well-covered issue in your newspaper.
The drug prevention forum covered by your paper called “Protecting Against the Realities of Substance Abuse,” put on by Parents Reaching Out To Educate Communities Together (PROTECT), provides a new approach to talking about drug awareness and prevention that could help parents better understand and approach the rise in drug culture in youths. By bringing in police officers, former drug users and dealers, and families affected by drugs, parents were able to hear their stories and learn ideas like how to recognize signs earlier that may indicate drug use in their children.
As a former student at the [Madison] high school where the forum was held and as an adult now who has had friends struggle with drug addictions, I find it extremely important and well received that this topic is being highlighted in your publication. This is an issue in children today that needs to be addressed because prevention of drug use is always
better than detection of drug use for all parties involved.
Rebecca Rosen
Vienna