THE ANTI-DRUG

Program Teaches Teens To Avoid The Pressure To Experiment

"Getting high." "Inhaling." "Chiefing." Whatever you call it, doing drugs
has been a teenage rage since before John Kerry was throwing his fake
medals on the Capitol steps and George Bush was ... well, we don't know where.

The pressure to experiment is as intense as ever - these days, word of a
"cool" party nearly always means drugs and alcohol are available.

Many high schools have boasted drug and alcohol prevention clubs and
classes for several decades. But my high school, Yavneh Academy, only
recently started its own peer strategy: Students Against Destructive
Decisions. The members of SADD, in their second year of service, really
seem to be making a difference, so I decided to try to find out why.

First is the story of Abby, an outgoing, carefree and constantly laughing
16-year-old. She seems just like any girl who loves a party. What would
make her want to join SADD?

"I really wanted to be a role model to my three little sisters," Abby says.
"I would consider myself a partier, but one who makes good choices -
staying away from drugs and alcohol as much as I can. I want to teach my
sisters how to make those good decisions."

"I've seen what drugs and alcohol can do to people, and I realized I wanted
to stop my friends from doing that. Trust me, it's possible to have fun
without getting smashed."

According to Abby, the most intriguing, and perhaps vital, ingredient to
SADD is its teaching of moderation. "SADD is different because it doesn't
teach kids 'stay home' instead of partying; it teaches them to party, but
to do it the right way, to avoid drugs and alcohol and have fun anyways. I
think teens can accept that."

If Abby is to one extreme, Rachael is the polar opposite, insisting that
she is the furthest thing from a party person. The 14-year-old is
dedicated, diligent and self-assured. When I ask Rachael why she thinks
teenagers are turning to drugs, she says insecurity is high on the list of
reasons. "Teenagers are insecure and they think that drugs will help them.
Of course, that isn't true."

Rachael believes being involved in SADD can help her make teens realize
what they take for granted. "They don't appreciate the very way they
function; if they start using drugs, they won't be able to talk or think
straight. ... I want to make sure that my friends see what they have, so
that they won't lose it to drugs."

Traci, 16, the incoming president of SADD at Yavneh, always can be counted
on to give the team a pep talk before game time and to promote school
spirit. She brings that same cheerleading quality to SADD.

"Friends are the most effective anti-drug," the 16-year-old says. Traci
hopes that if someone is considering experimenting with drugs and alcohol
that he or she will speak to a friend first. "Someone like that definitely
has a problem inside, and it's that kind of person I'm trying to reach out to.

"I want to give teens real alternatives to drugs, things that they agree
with and don't roll their eyes at. When there is communication involved
between teenager and teenager, that's when people take it seriously."

Traci wants to become a child psychologist someday. For now, she has big
plans for SADD.

"I want to have a 'get smart' week, to support smart decisions. Also, I
want to create a peer mediation program, which could be completely
anonymous. I want SADD to be a tradition."