THERE'S NOTHING COOL ABOUT DRUG ABUSE

It's not just the ability to throw a punch that's the mark of a true
boxing champion. Champions have to take some punches, too.

As heavyweights go, George Chuvalo was one of the greats. He could
dish 'em out and he could take the punches. The most vicious blows he
took, however, came outside of the ring.

Drug abuse robbed three of his sons of their dignity and later robbed
them of their lives.

When it comes to drug abuse, George Chuvalo is a walking
textbook.

He knows the harm it has caused to his family, and he knows many other
families and individuals are wrestling with the same monster.

George Chuvalo spoke to over 1,000 Island youth last week, spelling
out to them the gory and brutal realities of drug abuse.

An Islandwide tour is in the works for next year.

Drug use is not cool. It's not smart and it's not the brave thing to
do.

It can only lead to trouble, loss of dignity and to sadness. It can
even lead to death.

Many families have dealt with that ugly reality. No other families
should have to endure that pain.

Yet, many people, including many Islanders, are willing to play
Russian Roulette with drugs, consuming, inhaling or injecting
potentially lethal substances into their bodies, sometimes not even
truly aware of what they're using.

As drug use grows, dependency sets in. Then there's the desperate need
to get a fix.

To what extent is a drug user willing to go to get that fix? Some
resort to stealing. Some are lured even deeper into the dungeon.

Dealers don't care about the well-being of the persons buying their
garbage. They see the users as an opportunity to broaden their network
of sellers, interested only in their own financial gain.

Addicted users are a sure source of income for peddlers of death and
despair.

And not all drugs that cuase such misery are of the illegal variety.
Sadly, a lot of prescription drugs are falling into the wrong hands.

Drugs intended to fight chronic pain or for cancer treatment take on a
whole new meaning on the street. Patients have become addicted to
prescribed medication.

People who steal or obtain prescription medication by fraudulent means
certainly run the risk of becoming addicted and causing serious harm
to their bodies. It's simply not worth the risk.

Pushers are manipulative. They will try to convince individuals that
there's nothing to be afraid of, that they are chicken if they don't
try the drug offering.

Truth is, there is good reason to be afraid.

George Chuvalo knows that painful truth, and he is doing his best to
get people to listen. Drugs have caused much too much harm.

The best way to avoid the harm is to never give in to the temptation.
Be brave. Say "no".