DRUGS - DON'T START

Editor:

Drug use is on the rise. You know it's going to get you hooked - yeah?
I know I won't get hooked.

That's what they all say - that's why treatment centers rose by 29% up
from 180,000 to 232,000. My wife of 49 years with cancer was in the
hospital hooked up to morphine to ease her pain. As bad as the pain
was, my brave sweetheart asked to cut down on the drug. As bad as her
pain was, she asked to cut back just a little bit so she wouldn't be
so froggy, so she could talk to me. Her love for me was greater than
the pain. How brave she was to do that for me. She didn't know she was
going to get cancer.

And be forced - yes forced - to use this drug. But you know, and yet
you start.

And the next thing you do you hurt your family: lie, cheat, rob from
your family and friends.

The family you destroyed, the people you robbed, the friends you
mugged, the tax dollars that hard working people worked to get them
dollars to get you back on track.

As I gazed down and saw the pain I cried - yeah, a grown man
cried.

Well, my sweetheart died. I know you who are already hooked don't
care. But, for those of you who haven't: don't! I hope you will feel
deep in your heart the pain I feel. Do it for your family, do it for
yourself and may be for your children.

Don't be cheated on life like that cancer that took my wife I will
miss my sweetie for the rest of my life. Do you think the people you
hurt will feel like that for you? I don't think so. So long, my
sweetheart, I know you don't hurt anymore.

JOE ALDIERI
Plantsville