DRUG PROBLEM FESTERS IN SOCIETY

If I could change anything about Quesnel, it would be the drug
problem that exists amongst our youth, which destroys the fabric of society.

It ruins schools, families, and respect. I know of students who
participate in hard-core drugs and it hurts everybody around them.
The best way to change this atmosphere is prevention, rehabilitation,
and punishment.

Two youth I know are actually out of school and I have seen the
heightened depravity of their actions. I have contacted them and they
are down south, both thinking that drugs like marijuana is "just weed."

The effect these youth have on society itself is like a cancer that spreads.

After seeing them, I see some of the immorality of youth in society.
The day after the school dance I heard students were high on ecstasy,
marijuana, and some were drunk. The fact these students were saying
this out in the open for everyone to hear was disturbing. There are
absolutely no social consequences to them by the student body. The
student body seems not to care about the bad apples; they just let it fester.

The only way to change the use of drugs among our youth is through
prevention, intervention, and punishment.

For prevention, schools need to be more involved with children. All
students need to be in two mandatory extra-curricular activities and
could include:

theater, sports, chess club, or even leadership. The main concept is
to get kids active and not have them have too much free time. The
D.A.R.E. and Party programs are not offered to all students and they
need to be to help them deal with peer pressure.

Intervention is important. When it becomes apparent a child is on
drugs, then a principal, parent, RCMP officer, and drug user need to
sit down and talk about the real life consequences.

When talking stops working, the school needs to show their authority.
I think two weeks of 7:15 a.m. detentions for users should be
mandatory and sellers should be expelled.

Drugs truly are Quesnel's worst problem and one I would like to see
change. It would give children a new chance at something better, so
they can succeed in life.