STUDENTS SHOULD GET HIGH ON FACTS

Just say no. Those are all too familiar words. These three simple
monosyllabic words were drilled into our heads over and over again in
the drug education we received. When you think about it, the Drug
Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) we had in elementary and middle
schools did not really address the facts of substance abuse.
Counterproductively, it evoked the motto parents would often have for
saying no to us. How many times have we all been told "no" by mom or
dad and gotten the unsatisfying response of, "Because I said so?"

The recent death of freshman Justin Warfield, a Westminster Choir
College student, as a result of an alleged heroin overdose serves as
a tragic reminder that we all must heed. As of late, our attention
has been focused on reducing dangerous and abusive drinking and
underage consumption of alcohol on campus. All this may have done is
divert our awareness to the point where we may have neglected another
problem that has gone unnoticed - student drug use. Some may be quick
to react and accuse the media that their coverage on drugs is only
blowing things out of proportion.

Usually, no news is good news. This time such a notion may be an
indication of quite the opposite. The abuse of illegal substances is
a national problem affecting many colleges and universities including
Rider. To be fair, it is important to realize that students don't
come to college without knowledge of drugs and alcohol. In 2001, 3.1
percent of high school students reported the use of heroin in their
lifetime. Two years later, 3.3 percent said they had tried this drug
and in 2005 2.4 percent admitted to use of the illegal substance,
according to the Office of National Drug Control Policy.

So, what is the University to do? Although there is no silver bullet
that will completely solve the problem, the University must educate.
That doesn't mean wagging its finger like Big Brother. But teaching can help.

Students - pay attention - here is a pop quiz. Did you know that
heroin does not have the same reaction with every individual? Did you
know that the first time you try it you could become addicted? Do you
know what causes one to become addicted to heroin? The answers to
these questions are not going to boost your grade point average but
they could prevent a life or death situation.

What makes heroin so dangerous is that the reaction an individual may
have to it is unpredictable. One may be able to use the drug
recreationally and another may be addicted using it only once. The
toll it takes on the body is scary once you know what it does. Heroin
causes an increase in the amount of endorphins the body produces
creating "the high" users feel. As a result, the body will receive a
trigger that it does not need to produce endorphins causing the
individual to become addicted to heroin. The purity of heroin, which
one can never be sure about, is what can make it so lethal.

By now, we are mature enough to make responsible decisions. And maybe
it's time for a crash course to remind you who your true friends are.
Your friend is not the one who stands by watching you drink too much.
Your friend is not the one pushing you to experiment with drugs or do
something you don't want to. Let's stop the racist and snide banter
that is going on and let's start acting like a community that looks
out for each other. Above all, it's time we start acting like adults
who make wise decisions and take ownership of the future.