How do we address the drug epidemic?

PARENTS KEY TO THIS EFFORT

First of all, thank you for your recent enlightening series on the drug
epidemic which appears to have a strong hold here in Essex County.

Kudos to District Attorney Blodgett and Sheriff Cousins for tackling this
difficult issue head-on. My thanks to both for all of their efforts to try
to educate as many people as possible about this insidious and destructive
problem.

In the recent article headlined "Education falls short in many local
schools," it was obvious that many area school systems are in denial about
the severity of this epidemic. As Blodgett stated, he is convinced that the
only way to stop this is by a huge education effort. I certainly hope that
all of the different agencies combined can work together for the benefit of
the schoolchildren who are all, apparently, vulnerable, no matter what
community.

Personally, I was shocked to read that my hometown of Danvers had the
third-highest drug overdose rate out of 34 North Shore communities, with at
least one fatality.

Parents are the most important part of this solution. It all does start in
the home. We need to be involved in our children's lives - really involved.
Hopefully, with everyone working together, we will be able to begin the
fight to save our children's lives.

Question: What were the voters thinking when they voted to support
decriminalization of marijuana last fall?

Susan Ortins

Danvers