________________________________
Anonymous
_________________________________________________
I have encountered people my age taking drugs, listened
to songs about drugs, and even seen tee-shirts with drug
symbols. Drugs are everywhere today, but I actually
havent had much of an issue with them. Once or twice I
have been offered drugs, and the only drug Ive
actually seen was marijuana one time.
I suppose the reason I have evaded drugs was because of
my school life. I get good grades, Im ASB President,
and Im involved in sports. Consequently, I hang out
with people from within those social clicks, and they tend
to not be druggies. Im surrounded by kids
who are free of drugs and therefore, I have a better chance
of staying that way as well.
I think the reason people begin to use drugs is because
they underestimate their own willpower. They may think,
One time wont make me addicted, and so
they try it once. They then think the same about the second
time. Once leads to twice leads to 10 times, and then
theyre addicted.
I enjoy life too much to risk it with drugs. There are so
many alternative highs to experience that are
legal and safe. This may be performing on stage, playing a
sport, or even skydiving (well, skydiving might not be the
safest). Whatever activity makes people feel great, I
suggest that they stick with that, rather than become
addicted to a drug and make that the focus of their entire
life.
I am extremely glad that I am not influenced by drugs. I
have witnessed first-hand of how people have ruined their
lives because of drug use. Whether it be dropping out of
school, getting pregnant or making someone pregnant, or just
constantly having to face the addiction, drugs have
destroyed many lives.
________________________________
Anonymous
_________________________________________________
Like those salesmen always calling and knocking at your
door, drugs are a problem that never goes away. And as much
as wed all like to slam the door in its face once and
for all, it just keeps coming back. According to the
National Department of Human Services, 3.1 million people in
the United States used marijuana daily or on an almost daily
basis in the year 2006. In just this past month alone, 5.1
million people used this drug on at least 20 days. While
drugs might be an issue that affects you personally or just
something you hear about in the news, there is no denying
that it is an ever-increasing issue.
Here on the west coast, problems are even greater than in
other regions of the United States. The state of Oregon is
one of the largest producers of marijuana in the United
States, and also one of the states with the highest number
of methamphetamine labs and users. The city of Portland is
one of the highest ranked in the U.S. for the number of
drug-related crimes. Most of the problem however, lies close
to home - in the youth of America.
Everyday when I walk through the hallways of my high
school, I see the ugly consequences that drugs have had on
my peers. Many of them have parents or friends that use
drugs on a regular basis. Some of them know people who are
serving time in jail because of illegal drug use. The part
that makes me grieve the most is when I see the students- my
peers and friends - who I know are battling drug addictions
at this very moment. A survey conducted by the Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration states that
more than 10.8% of teens aged 12-17 had used illicit drugs
in the past month. However, it goes on to say that 74% of
youth ages 16-17 are somewhat to strongly disapproving of
peers who use marijuana. I myself am one of those 74%.
In one of my classes last year, we were assigned a
project to be done with a partner. Initially, I was annoyed
when I saw who my partner was going to be- a boy known to
everyone in out school as a stoner and a bad
student. It was with reluctance that I spoke to him for the
first time. However, as time went on and I began to get to
know him, I soon discovered that he was actually quite
friendly and intelligent-not the personality most of us
expect a chronic drug user to have. We became good
acquaintances, though we never spoke about his drug use.
When school ended we both went our separate ways and it
wasnt until several weeks later when I saw him again.
Halfway through our conversation, he mentioned to me that he
had gotten a job and had stopped smoking entirely. I have to
admit that initially I was a bit skeptical, but when I
reflected on our conversation later I realized that he had
no reason to lie to me about it, since we had never
discussed it before. It has been over a year since that
occasion. He now has my utmost respect because I know that
this was an extremely difficult choice for him to make, and
I am proud of him for having the determination to stick to
it.
I dont think that there is a single person in
America who can say that they have not seen the negative
effect of drugs on either themselves personally or someone
they know. Drugs affect all of us, whether we choose to use
them or not. That is why it is important that we all become
part of the effort to increase awareness and stop drug use
in our society.
The efforts being made have already had some positive
results- the 2006 National Survey on Drug Use and Health
says that with the increase in the awareness of the risk of
marijuana use, the number of lifetime, past year, and past
month marijuana users among teens aged 12 to 17 has
decreased in the last four years. This does, however, still
leave millions of people clutched in the vile grasp of drug
addiction. Though in the end it all comes down to personal
choice, we can still do everything within our power to help
insure that when that decision is made, the right option is
chosen.
________________________________
Michele
Banta
__________________________________________________
"Today a 16 year old boy died from a drug over
dose. Officials say that his mother found him early this
morning on the living room couch. Services will be held
later this week at..." I couldn't read anymore of the
article, it was just too sad. What could push this teenager
and others like him to do drugs? He had to be the
umpteenth kid to have accidentally died from drugs in Curry
County. This was becoming a major problem that couldn't be
ignored anymore.
I wasn't the only one to have noticed the growing
situation. My leadership teacher at Brookings-Harbor High,
Mrs. Kleespies, approached me and four other students in our
leadership class about this program the Curry County
Commission on Children & Families was going to
sponsor. The only thing Mrs. Kleespies knew about it was
that it was going to be focused on drug and alcohol
prevention in teens. All of the students she asked to do it
agreed to go and see what would come of it.
A few weeks later we headed up to Curry County Commission
on Children & Families in Gold Beach. When we
walked through the door, all of us found out quickly that it
just wasn't Brookings here but teens from Gold Beach and
Port Orford. Still unsure of what was happening, all fifteen
of us, five students from each school, and our chaperones
sat down to learn why all of us had come together.
Myrna Barber, Chair of the Drug Free Coalition (a working
part of the Curry County Commission on Children
& Families), stood up in front and began to
explain. "You have been chosen to be part of a new youth
program we are trying to put together. The whole point of it
will be to prevent drugs and alcohol from destroying our
youth. We needed experts on teenagers and their many
different thinking processes. The best experts on teens
are...well...teens. You can mold it to what ever you find
most effective. So, do you think you can help improve Curry
County's youth?"
After agreeing to help, we worked the rest of that
meeting on coming up with our name, logo and goals. Our
names is Southern Oregon Coast Youth Leaders, SOCYL for
short. Our logo is a ring using all of our mascots and
school colors. Our goals include: raise drug and
alcohol awareness within Curry County's youth, allow the
teen voice regarding anti-drug use be heard, to prevent
youth from beginning harmful habits, to help make youth make
good choices, to be able to communicate to the parents about
the affects of drugs on youth, and to work with adults to
change community norms throughout Curry County.
It has been three years since that first meeting and we
have accomplished many things. We have done radio spots,
created an interactive game called Life 101 and skits to
present to fifth graders in Brookings, Gold Beach and Port
Orford. We have, also, put on a successful tri-school dance
and presented at a National Conference in Washington, D.C.
where we can meet other students from around the country
with the same problem as ourselves. On top of that, SOCYL
has many other projects in progress.
Many students and adults have come together through SOCYL
all because of the drug issue in Curry County. This year
being my last year as a SOCYL member and one of the
original, who helped built it, I hope that more than just
the fifteen who created it will come together and fix this
problem that ravages our communities, kids and adults alike.
That eventually we will no longer need a program, like
SOCYL, to teach prevention but that everyone will no longer
have to teach drug prevention. Margaret Mead once said,
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed
citizens can change the world. Indeed it is the only that
that ever has."
________________________________
Anonymous
_________________________________________________
Drugs are the better part of my motivation to get the
hell out of my home town. This year I am the first to go to
college and honestly, I'm quite surprised due to the
exposure that I have had on drugs. My older sister was
supposed to go and be the first to do something with her
life but succumbed to the life of methamphetamines and
marijuana. She is better now but she still hasn't overcome
the damage it has done to her life. This is just another
example of why I will not do drugs and is why I am going to
get a life worth living because I refuse to fall to a life
of drugs and decay. I have watched friends change and become
entirely different. It hurts me to see how bad drugs can
affect a persons life. It is not just the person
taking the drugs who get affected but the people who care
about them as well. I know drugs are out there and I refuse
to allow myself to get mixed in with that crowd of misfits.
I will overcome and prove that I can be better than that.
Drugs are bad.
________________________________
Anonymous
_________________________________________________
My mom and I are very open and honest with each other.
For a long time we were all we had. So naturally I know a
lot about her and her past and she knows about my
present.
My mom grew up in a family ruled by addictions.
Everything from stealing to meth to pain killers was an
addiction in our family. It was the 70's and my grandparents
and my aunts and uncles and their friends would all smoke
pot together. The only reason my mom never smoked pot is
because she is allergic.
Alcoholism is big on both sides of my family. My mom had
her own short episode of alcoholism when she and my
biological father were going threw their divorce. She called
it being a closet drunk because she would literally drink in
the closet so that my brother and I wouldn't see her and
think it was okay.
When my mom was a young adult she used to do speed. She
decided that the life she was living wasn't worth it and she
wanted to make something of herself. So she got clean,
changed her surroundings, and got together with my
father.
Then one day she found out she was pregnant. She hoped,
and wished, and prayer that nothing would be wrong with her
baby. 9 moths and 27 1/2 hours of labor later this baby was
born. 7lbs even, a perfectly round head, and 19 3/4 inches
long. 1/4 inch away from being the perfect baby. Of coarse
this baby was me.
I could never ask for a better mom. We have out
differences and what parent-child relationship doesn't. My
mommy raised me to be the person I am today. I'm a senior,
I'm very close to having strait A's, I'm in an anti-drug
coalition for Curry County and its youth, and I'm an A.S.B.
officer. I plan on going to collect, starting a career, and
starting my own family. I know what is right for me and
what's wrong. I don't let other people influence my life
unless I trust them. I trust my mom. I'm
proud of my mom. I'm honored to
say I'm drug free. I respect myself and
my decisions.
If you or someone you know is using, please get help or
get them help. You could save a life.
________________________________
Brooke
Blofsky
_________________________________________________
When I first started writing this essay I wasn't
quite sure how I was going to write an essay that was all
about drugs, mostly because I really haven't had any
experience with drugs. Then I started to really think about
what drugs have done to influence other people in my life,
this is when I started to get an idea of how much drugs
really did effect my life.
I used to have a way of dating guys who had problems. I
believe I did this because I felt like I could help them in
some way. Josh, my ex boyfriend was addicted to crystal meth
I didn't know this until we had been dating for a couple of
months. Josh lived in Crescent City, so I wasn't always
around to notice everything that was going on. One night we
were handing out at a mutual friends house, and Josh was
acting really weird. We sat down and had a talk and that was
when he came clean and told me about everything he was
involved in. I was so shocked but for some reason I couldn't
just break up with him. Josh kept asking me to help him, so
I thought I could. He then broke into a gas station with
some friends, and was sent to a boys home in Gasquet. This
home is a rehabilitation center with all boys up to the age
of 18 with similar problems. At this point Josh was
promising to be clear from then on out, but this is where it
started getting worse.
This cycle of getting out and then getting back in kept
repeating. He would be clear for a month, then relapse and
snd up back at the boys home. Finally he got sentenced for a
year and I finally got the nerve to break it off, even
though I still wrote him every couple weeks. Then when he
had a month left the letters stopped coming from him. I
received a letter from Josh about a month after he had
gotten out. He was reaching out for help again because he
was using. I never replied to the letter.
One day in Fred Meyer I was with my Aunt, who lost her
husband to drug abuse. We ended up running into Josh and his
old friends. Josh looked really skinny and looked like he
had been awake for days on end. It was a very strange
situation because my Aunt's husband was named Josh as well.
We both had been through the same deal of losing people we
cared about to drugs. My Aunt knew that Josh and I had dated
and ended up looking me in the eyes and asking me if I
wanted to end up like her. She had two beautiful children,
but the children had no father figure. I walked up to Josh
and hugged him, told him goodbye and walked away. He thought
that I meant goodbye for the moment, but I meant it forever.
I haven't heard from Josh since then. I have seen him once
but he was so out of it, I'm sure he didn't even realize it
was me.
This story might not sound like one filled with emotion,
heartbreak, or even that of a bad experience but that is
because it's so deep I can't show how I feel. Drugs have
ruined some of the best people in my life. Some great
friends, not just Josh. What breaks my heart is that this is
happening to so many people my age. Now instead a guy I once
called by boyfriend, I am watching people I have known for
years turn down the wrong road. If you take anything from
this little essay on drug use and extremes of life, take the
fact that there are some people who you can actually help.
It might just be listening to someone's problems, or talking
to someone that no one else gives the time of day to. But if
you ever come across someone in need of help, please don't
just walk past. At least try so you don't end up asking
yourself if there was a chance. Because in life, there is
nothing but choices. I hope you choose well.
________________________________
Anonymous
_________________________________________________
Hey Mom, where is the
Oh, never mind.
Ill ask you later.
Why did I stop you ask? Well, its because my
stepfather is sitting in his chair smoking his marijuana. My
stepfather has something called PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress
Syndrome), and apparently the only way to deal with it is to
smoke medical marijuana. I understand that he needs to smoke
it occasionally, but lately it seems every time I try to go
into their room to ask my Mom a question or to spend some
time with her, there he is puffing away.
At first it didnt bother me because he hid it
pretty well. But now he doesnt try to hide it at all.
He used to only smoke it like twice a day. Now its up
to 6-7 times or more. His smoking marijuana has affected my
relationship with my Mom in a bad way. I never spend any
time with her anymore since she is always in her room, and I
wont go in there when my step dad is smoking.
Another thing that bothers me about the marijuana
situation is the smell. My Mom and step dad have to walk
through my room to get to the rest of the house, so they
leave their door open most of the time. My stepfather, being
the lazy bum that he is, doesnt close their door or
turn on my fan when he smokes. So when I go to bed at night,
I have to smell the marijuana since the scent has saturated
my bedding and pillows. I hate going over to my Moms
house now because of my step dad and his marijuana.
At least I only have to deal with this environment every
other weekend, and during the summer. I live with my Dad the
rest of the time and its always a relief when I come
back to a nice, marijuana smoke free home.
________________________________
Olivia
Buscho
_______________________________________________
Scientists and psychologists have hundreds of
explanations for why drugs are abused: Depression, genetic
makeup, lifes pressures, or maybe just the desire to
get high. Maybe its a combination of
everything. But I believe drug abuse is a direct result of
fear, the fear of failure, fear of pain, fear of being you.
Or even sadder, drug abuse comes from the fear of knowing
yourself.
Lets say my theory is correct and low self-esteem
and fear drives the insecure and frightened to use drugs.
Who would be the most susceptible to these conditions?
Teenagers of course! We dont even know who we are yet,
but we are on the brink of independence, trying to figure
out all of lifes tricks while deciding what we want to
do with ourselves after high school. Naturally, some
insecurity arises.
What better way to avoid getting to know yourself, numb
the uncertainty and avert your eyes from the future than to
get stoned when the going gets tough. Its a cop-out.
How scared of yourself are you that you have to alter your
mind to live with it?
Of course this isnt the case with all drug users,
but being an insecure high school girl myself, it
doesnt seem like that insane of a theory. Its
true, I am insecure, but I also love myself. I love my mind,
crazy thoughts and all. I prefer it unaltered with drugs. I
believe if you mess with your mind enough your heart will
get messed with too. Eventually priorities change and
whoever you were or were trying to be gets lost along the
way. So please, dont be afraid to be you. Be afraid to
lose you. Find the courage to face that big scary world; I
expect you will be pleasantly surprised.
________________________________
Anonymous
_________________________________________________
Do we have a drug problem in Curry County? A huge poster
in the break-room at my work says we do. In the center, a
large, black-and-white picture of a decaying meth addict
peers at you from underneath red, bold-type numbers, telling
you who to call to fix the problem. I stare at
it from time to time, in the seconds between busing tables
and answering phones. Personally, I cant think of
anything Id want to look at less mainly because
its so disgusting. But also because
its not
very encouraging to know that the real drug problem
isnt in my high school. The drug problem is in the
parents, the adults -- the people who are supposed to
telling us to Just Say No!. We are not the drug
problem, community. You are.
There are some exceptions, but most the kids in our high
school know that meth is stupid at this point. I
congratulate the community for this success. Perhaps in 20
years we wont have a meth problem anymore. But I have
a better idea. We should start making everyone in the
community take Mrs. Fultons Freshman Health class, and
then the people who are doing meth will stop, thus making
every teenagers life suck a little less. Im with
the majority of students who would gladly sign a binding
contract stating I will never, ever do meth, EVER, just so I
wont have to sit through another one of those videos
again.
But not everything is about meth. Long before I was born,
my dad had a huge drug problem. Nearly every kid in my high
school can say that. We are the children of the children of
the 70s. Our parents were the ones who lit up every
Friday and thought nothing of it. And 75% of them wont
admit that they made any horrible decisions while influenced
--- either because theyre too proud, or nothing really
bad happened at all. Now, what are we supposed to make of
that? Kids, dont do drugs, because I did it when
I was your age
.and Im told its really really bad
for you
. Really? Sounds a little too much like
Dont put your hand in the cookie jar. And
we all know how that one turns out.
The funniest part of all of this is that many of us still
know how to say no. I say its funny
because I dont think I was really taught how to say no
by anyone. I could not begin to tell you the number of my
friends who have smoked pot -- Its everywhere in this
town. But that being said, they have never asked or tempted
me to join them. Id like to think this is because they
respect me: they know my beliefs and that I am not going to
do drugs. And truthfully, I dont think that it really
makes me look any less cool in their eyes. Maybe I just have
amazing friends. But people talk about peer pressure these
days as if its some unbeatable force victimizing
children left and right. Its not. Its just an
excuse we give to kids who are too lazy to stand up for
themselves: Just say no, kids, but if you dont
want to, we understand, because then you wont look
cool, and we know thats important.
Whats the solution to the drug problem? Stop
sending mixed messages! Actions speak louder than words, and
most of us have heard enough empty anti-drug words that we
now instinctively tune it out. You want us to stop doing
drugs, community? You want us to Just Say No, to
D.A.R.E? We, the teens of Brookings, have only
one thing to say to that: You first.
________________________________
Steven
Dornbusch
________________________________________________
Information on the reason what I have on
drugs.
1. How drugs affected my life almost changed me 5 years
ago. That is until I found what drugs are life. It was
positive to know from Mrs. Caviness & I'm not
taking it to the next level, thank you very much.
2. If I wanted to experience drugs my mind would say no,
but my mouth would say gross & the only way I would
really say no is right in their face. I would also try to
help other people who are affected by it get away from it
sometimes. But the only way I would avoid it, is to walk
away from it.
3. 1 time there was a friend named Sandy Sheres who was
affected by drugs and she tried everything to avoid them.
But I came up with a plan to help her, all I did was to ask
try to stay away from them, not even tough or think about
them & it worked...for a while that is.
4. Very bad ideas like say: you could get by your
parents or sent to jail, but for all I know. It's a bad
thing.
5. It's quite easy for me to avoid them, when it's around
me somewhere. The people who because affected by them become
stupid & don't think straight. But when it's around
me trying to talk to me...I do just 1 thing...ignore it.
6. I was 13 years old when I thought of trying it, but
when I knew what it would really do to me. So I just
collected the information I wanted about drugs and decided
to stay away of it.
_______________________________
Anonymous
_________________________________________________
I have seen the effects they cause, from prison to
adoption. From suicidal thoughts to running away. There are
no words to express the hurt and suffering I have witnessed
drugs produce. I havent personally experienced any of
this, but I have watched enough of it to know that drugs are
a huge problem in our town and in Oregon in general.
Most of my friends have been abandoned due to their
parents addiction to drugs. Two have been adopted, and
a few others have moved in with their grandparents because
their parents (or parent, in most cases) couldnt
support them anymore. There are so many lasting effects, and
so many past problems that they have to ignore because my
friends just want to move forward with their lives.
Could you imagine your parents basically telling you that
you are the second most important thing to them? Their first
priority being some kind of illicit drug. And not only that,
but then being asked to lie for them and pretend like
everything is okay. In one situation, about four years ago,
my friend (lets call him John) ran away because he was
getting beat because of the mind games the drugs were
playing on his mother. When the cops found John they told
him if he ran away again he would be put in Juvenile hall,
and didnt even bother to listen to the horrid things
that had caused him to leave his house. Its not only
the citizens that are in denial about the problems teenagers
face , its the authorities too.
We need to take a stand and listen to what the people who
have been most affected have to say. I am not one of them,
but I am trying to help tell their stories. Trying to help
others in their situations. Drugs are out of control in this
town, county, and state. What amazes me the most about
drugs, is how they can bring people to do things that
otherwise, they would never do. To give up on your own flesh
and blood all because of a substance that takes over your
mind and soul seems inconceivable.
My friends are strong and are actually trying to mend the
scars and problems that their birth parents have caused. In
my opinion they are smarter and more compassionate because
of the things they have been through, but they are also more
sensitive to certain things. Drugs havent ruined their
lives because they choose to succeed. Unfortunately, I
cant say as much for their parents.
________________________________
Juan
Garcia
_________________________________________________
I would have to say that drugs have affected my life in a
positive way. I have never used any sort of drugs or illegal
substances. Personally I always thought of myself of being
narcissistic, feeling that I was too good for drugs. I was
almost to the point of being pretentious. I always thought
that, and I still think that I have too much to loose by
using drugs.
I course I know people who use drugs; I bet that everyone
in this school knows at least of couple of student who use
drugs. Since I get along with almost everybody at this
school, I have some good friends who smoke pot. But when
they boast about using drugs I always reprove or deprecate
them for using drugs. Peer pressure hasnt been a
problem for me. I always tell them that I have too much to
loose by using drug.
I know I have been a positive influence in my family. I
know that a have had a positive influence over my cousins. I
am viewed as a role model for them and the fact that I am
drug-free has influenced them to also becoming
drug-free.
I dont get why people use drugs, they have a
detrimental effect on your health. Why would anyone take
that risk? I know people whose lives have been destroyed by
drugs. The fact is that drugs are a problem in our schools
and in our community. We need to have a strict coherent
policy that has harsher punishments. Personally, I think
people who use drugs have nothing to loose.
I have always been viewed as a role model in my family
and in the community and by being drug-free I intend to keep
it that way.
________________________________
Anonymous
__________________________________________________
My aunts childhood was hard and short. When she was
one year old her parents broke up and she stayed with her
mother. Her mother eventually remarried, but her new
stepfather never accepted her as his own. He was cruel to
her, and believed that she was inferior to his
real children. Her mother did not want to cause
problems, and therefore did not intervene and defend her.
They lived in a bad neighborhood, where drugs and violence
was common. Her neighbors, uncles, and stepfather
participated in selling drugs, and she was constantly
surrounded by its bad influence. Because of this my aunt
chose to spend a lot of her childhood with her grandparents,
where she was loved and taken care of, but even then she was
forced to grow up too early.
When my aunt was only twelve her stepfather kicked her
out of her house. She had no one nearby that she could go to
for help, and she ended up living on the streets. She
remembers this time as being the darkest of her life. She
had no one to take care of her and provide food and other
necessities. She began selling drugs, and gradually became
addicted. She knew that it was wrong, but could not think of
another option to support herself.
She eventually knew that she could not keep her same
lifestyle, and needed a way out. Even in her youth she
greatly valued education, and kept going to school so that
she could have a chance for a better life. When she was
fourteen she went to the police, who she had seen lecturing
at her school to not take drugs, and to go to them if they
needed help. However, they did not take her seriously, and
she was rejected. She did not want to go back home, and
consequently went to live with a friend. While she was there
a drug bust occurred, and her friend was found guilty. Even
though my aunt was not involved in it she too was sent to
juvenile hall. The authorities called her mother to see what
she wanted done with her, but her mother claimed not to know
her. After twelve months my aunt was let out and went to
live with her real father. When some time had passed she
returned to her mother, who by then had moved to
Brookings.
It was around this time that my aunt met my uncle, and
first came into my life. She felt accepted in our large and
close family, with all my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and
cousins. She was reminded of her happier past with her
grandparents, and realized that she had a chance for a
better life. My aunt and uncle were very young then, but
soon got married. I was only about seven, and therefore was
oblivious to the hardships that she had gone through. All I
knew was that she was my new aunt, and that she was kind and
cool. She would always put on her best face for others, and
appeared to be happy and self-confident. Under the surface,
however, she continued to struggle with her past. For a
couple years she was able to lead a clean life, an
incredible feat against her addiction, but it did not
last.
My aunts second child was born with a lot of health
problems. He was not fully developed and often had
difficulty breathing. The medical expenses really built up,
and they did not qualify for state aid to cover them. My
aunt got desperate and decided to sell drugs in secret,
until they could get back on their feet. She thought that if
she did not take drugs herself, and did not let it influence
her children, all would be fine.
In addition to selling drugs my aunt was working two
jobs, and consequently was very tired. One day she decided
to take just a little meth to have some energy, but it took
only that little to get addicted again. She began taking
more and more, and her life went in a downward spiral. Her
marriage fell apart, she began neglecting her duties as a
mother, and she was not there in her right mentality. One
day she came home from work to find that my uncle had left
her, taking their children with him. She was soon arrested
and taken to jail, and then found out that she was pregnant.
She was scared for her baby, knowing that she had been
taking meth just a month before, and decided to become clean
again.
It was around this time that my aunt met my uncle, and
first came into my life. She felt accepted in our large and
close family, with all my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and
cousins. She was reminded of her happier past with her
grandparents, and realized that she had a chance for a
better life. My aunt and uncle were very young then, but
soon got married. I was only about seven, and therefore was
oblivious to the hardships that she had gone through. All I
knew was that she was my new aunt, and that she was kind and
cool. She would always put on her best face for others, and
appeared to be happy and self-confident. Under the surface,
however, she continued to struggle with her past. For a
couple years she was able to lead a clean life, an
incredible feat against her addiction, but it did not
last.
My aunts second child was born with a lot of health
problems. He was not fully developed and often had
difficulty breathing. The medical expenses really built up,
and they did not qualify for state aid to cover them. My
aunt got desperate and decided to sell drugs in secret,
until they could get back on their feet. She thought that if
she did not take drugs herself, and did not let it influence
her children, all would be fine.
In addition to selling drugs my aunt was working two
jobs, and consequently was very tired. One day she decided
to take just a little meth to have some energy, but it took
only that little to get addicted again. She began taking
more and more, and her life went in a downward spiral. Her
marriage fell apart, she began neglecting her duties as a
mother, and she was not there in her right mentality. One
day she came home from work to find that my uncle had left
her, taking their children with him. She was soon arrested
and taken to jail, and then found out that she was pregnant.
She was scared for her baby, knowing that she had been
taking meth just a month before, and decided to become clean
again.
________________________________
Justin
Konkel
_________________________________________________
Drugs, alcohol,. sex, sinning. What a thrill to be
alive, isn't it? To take everything without question
and live your life behind those little tiny dilated pupils.
But, what happens when you pop one pill too many, or you
inhale more than you can hold down, or you take the final
gulp to correspond your final fall? I've seen a
generation of pop culture go down into the gutter, I've had
friends around me die. My life has been drastically impacted
by the drug-filled atmosphere I live in.
When you hear the word "drug" used in a derogatory
manner, we usually make a quick jump to meth, or to heroine.
But the fact of the matter is that, people abuse every sort
of drug. Nyquil, from experience, is a very good stimulant.
When taken it will drag your body and mind down to a state,
but if you add caffeine, or another energy stimulant (such
as Vitamin B), you will spring back up physically. This
feeling of euphoria borders the condition "sleep deprivation
psychosis" and gives you the feeling of being in the dream
world, while still being awake. As it sounds, it is very
dangerous; imagine yourself in one of those ever-famous
"falling" dreams because you jumped off a bridge into the
water. Well, with the psychosis affecting your judgment, you
might just take that leap.
The point above is, that drugs are too easily accessible
for this generation to not try them once. Most kids won't
admit to it, but I'm confident they've been high or been
pressured to get high at least once. Our culture is
constantly making it easier and easier to know where to find
and how to use drugs and alcohol. Everyone has a "hook-up"
for whatever they need. Thanatos is raging among the youth,
and it only seems we want to kill ourselves quicker and
quicker.
I am not against drugs. In fact, I support them in full.
Up until now I've seemed the typical Christian youth, but in
reality I think everything should be legalized. Marijuana,
coke, speed, meth and everything in between, so that we
could let the Darwinistic philosophy carry out. Survival of
the fittest would rid us of our hindrances and lead us into
a better, cleaner tomorrow. Laissez-Faire; let the people do
as they do. If they do decide to pop pills, or shoot up, let
them. But also let them feel the other side that isn't what
they glorify in movies, or in songs. Hopefully, they can
learn from their mistakes and rise up to succeed. But if
they don't, we definitely can.
________________________________
Anonymous
_________________________________________________
Last Christmas I was nearly murdered by my best
friend.
At that time last year, my friend James was battling a
severe psychological addiction to marijuana. I knew about
it, but I did the worst thing a friend could possibly do
I ignored it. No matter what I saw, I would look the
other way. If he walked in a room reeking of pot, I would
simply leave. I trusted my best friend. I never thought it
was anything serious.
It finally came to the point where it couldnt be
ignored anymore. Last Christmas Eve, shortly after a late
holiday party, James asked me if I was ready to go home. He
was stoned, and we both knew it, but the house had been
empty of people for a long time. I had to get home my
parents were asleep and expecting me so I hesitantly
accepted his offer for a ride. The house where the party
took place was six miles away.
The inside of his car was warm, and the music from his
stereo soft. Even I, sober as I was, felt slightly sleepy in
the passenger seat as we pulled out of the driveway. We
zigzagged lazily down the empty winter road, and James
reached over and turned the stereo up to its maximum volume.
The sudden noise jolted me from my stupor and I watched the
road nervously for hazards. The loud music hurt my ears.
We were still four miles from my house; that was when
things started to seriously go wrong.
A scream broke the night air; a split second later I
realized that it was my own. A deer had darted from the
surrounding woods, right into the path of James car,
and he was completely oblivious to it. Without a thought I
grabbed the wheel and jerked us into the other lane, out of
the animals way. Finally taking notice, James swore
loudly and over-corrected the vehicles path, nearly
running us off the road on the other side.
My shrieks of fear quickly turned into those of anger.
James, pull over PULL OVER!
He pulled into a turnout three miles from my house and
cut the engine. He was no longer laughing. What?
he asked. Were not dead, are we?
No, but
I was stopped mid-sentence by the worst sound I could
possibly hear: a police siren. A glance in one of the
mirrors at the approaching red and blue lights confirmed
it.
With skid marks on the road and an inebriated man in the
drivers seat, I was officially in panic-mode. My heart
was pounding, and I couldnt breathe as it got to be
two-hundred, one hundred fifty, one hundred yards away. The
car was going to stop, we were going to be arrested, and my
life was going to be over, all because of the worthless,
life-wrecking marijuana.
But the patrol car wasnt slowing down. If anything,
it was gaining speed, and I watched with wide, horrified
eyes as it closed the gap and passed us by. The cops
undoubtedly had more pressing matters to deal with that
night. Amazingly, unbelievably, we were safe and in the
clear.
I let out a breath I had no idea Id been holding. I
was exhausted, I was scared, and I didnt know what to
do. I could only stare at James and the dazed expression on
his face, and doing so brought tears to my eyes as I fought
for the courage to finally speak my mind. This had to
stop.
James, I let out in a whisper. James,
what are you doing to yourself? I was pleading for his
life and my own, like a desperate, frightened animal. I
didnt know what else I could do.
For the first time that evening, something about James
expression broke. He let go of the steering wheel and put
his face in his hands. He was crying.
Jesus, he moaned. I dont know.
Im sorry
Im so sorry!
He leaned over and hugged me for the first time in
months, clinging to me so tightly that my neck and shoulders
ached. He smelled horrible, and his eyes were teary and
bloodshot, but I could see that the James I had missed so
much was still in there, and he needed my support more than
anything else in the world right then. The rehab, support
groups, and cleansing would come later, but at that moment
all he needed was the love of a friend.
We drove the last three miles to my house in complete
silence. When I got out of the car I asked him if he was
going to be all right, and he told me yes. Hes been
all right for the past nine months now he hasnt
touched a joint since that night.
Drugs are a problem which cannot afford to be ignored. I
chose to be a true friend and give his problem the attention
it deserved, and because of that were both here today,
alive and well. So many addicts are ignored or written down
as worthless criminals, but society forgets that those
people are friends, spouses, children, and parents, too.
With a little care and attention, a life full of potential
should never have to be thrown away.
________________________________
Kaitlin
Lawrence
________________________________________________
Its a beautiful sunny day in a small coastal town
once dependent on its logging and fishing industry. The
birds are singing, the waves are sparkling, and young
children are out riding their bikes around town. To any
stranger passing through, this little city called Brookings
looks like an ideal place to start a family, but behind the
scenes there is a sub-culture blissfully unnoticed to many.
This underground cess pool is threatening to one day poison
what most people would consider an extremely safe
environment. This threat is none other than the illegal drug
industry.
Similar to the onslaught of marijuana that came from
Mexico into Oregon during the 1960s-1970s, a new
drug is rearing its ugly head across the borders; most
commonly being referred to as meth. Methamphetamine, which
triggers a release of euphoria and extreme bliss is the most
common drug found in Oregon today. It, along with heroin,
has been the cause of thousands of broken families, criminal
activity, and deaths. Oregon is not the only state fighting
a battle against drugs. It is a nationwide problem that is
not only affecting young adults but also children. An
innumerable amount of cases have been reported of young
mothers taking drugs during and after their pregnancies.
Their children that are born into this world come into it as
addicts. When their babies are going through withdrawal,
they will give them their drug of choice either through
smoking it in their presence or applying the substance to
the childs gums.
It is not only the threat of a drug business that
Brookings citizens should be aware of but also of the
increasing crime rate. In 2003, there were 41 drug
convictions in Brookings. That number is growing
exponentially. In Salem, last years statistics showed
that meth alone contributed to more than 70% of crime in the
state of Oregon. These numbers are staggering, but the
situation will only get better if we open our eyes and stop
believing that what we cant see wont hurt
us.
As citizens of Brookings, we all enjoy the benefits that
this town brings us. I have lived here my entire life and
never thought twice about walking into town by myself or
keeping the door unlocked while Im home alone, but
those days of security are over.
We must all be aware of the drug threat that is looming
over us and take action. It is not enough to know about the
problem, we must also do something about it. The police
department has made great strides in this war against drugs.
We, as citizens, can help by reporting any drug activity we
are aware of, educating our children about the dangers of
drugs and about what to do if they are ever presented with
the opportunity to use drugs, and not ignoring the obvious.
I am proud of where I live and I believe the majority of
Brookings citizens are as well. The school district
has adopted a revised set of standards based around three
simple words, Pride, Honor, and Respect. I
believe that motto should be extended to not just the
schools but also to the entire town. If we have Pride,
Honor and Respect for where we live, things can only
get better.
________________________________
Anonymous
_______________________________________________
Drugs have taken away arguably the most important person
in a childs life. Drugs have taken away my mother. And
the three years that she was a part of my life definitely
couldnt be defined as happy times. Its a hard
concept for a six year old to grasp that its more
important to get high than it is to be taken to kindergarten
on time
My grandparents had me until I was three years old, and
then my mother finally fought her way through the court
systems and back into my life. She moved me up to Portland,
expecting a second chance to be a good mother, because when
I was born she proved to be incapable of taking care of me.
Dismayed as my grandparents were, they had no choice but to
let me go. Driving away from their house on top of the hill
all I remember thinking is whether or not my kitten Gizmo
would be all right without me. She ran away two days
later.
The warm welcome that I got upon entrance to the
apartment in Gresham was a good screaming about how horrible
it was that I still drank from a bottle. My bottle was taken
from me and thrown down the stairs. That was the day that I
started drinking from a cup. My brother living with us
should have been a good thing, but he was around eleven and
thought that it was funny to pick on his little sister. So
on a daily basis I was reminded that I had a lisp and
couldnt pronounce the word three correctly. He and his
friend John would leave me by myself, even while my mom was
out getting high. Making food for myself became a necessity
at age four.
My mother lost her job, and all of her money was being
pumped into her addiction, so we were kicked out of the
apartment. Around this time her ex-boyfriend came back into
the picture. He was violent and controlling, but my mother
thought that she needed him. He lived with us in all of our
future, rather unique, residences. The Peach was a motel
that we lived in for quite some time. There were other
children living there, and I was able to go out and play
with them. On one such occasion, my brothers father
drove up in his giant red truck and told him to get in. He
couldnt take me because he was not my father, so I was
left alone in the dirty parking lot to fend for myself. When
my mother discovered that her son was gone, it didnt
effect her much because she was high, but later I got in
trouble because I didnt stop him from leaving.
When the motel expenses got to be too much to handle, we
were forced onto the streets. For awhile the front porch of
an abandoned house across from the Goodwill became our home.
This was not a coincidence, being as we stole from the
Goodwill. Whenever the workers would leave the Goodwill
delivery truck open, we would sprint across the highway and
take whatever we could hold. I was commended for stealing
shoes and crayons.
Of all that occurred in those three years, one memory
stands out above the rest. During another of my
mothers drug binges, we ended up in a gigantic empty
warehouse. This warehouse was in one of the shadier parts of
the city, so it was a testament to my mothers
addiction that she even brought me along. Apparently she
thought it was safer to bring me rather than leave me on the
porch by myself. Upon entrance of the building, I was told
to go into a room on the left. I was given the instructions
to sit and be quiet. So thats where I sat, all night.
As it got darker I picked a spot on the wall and stared at
it. This was an attempt to not get scared. As a five year
old I learned the measure of my determination.
I believe that she wanted to stop, but the addiction had
such a strong hold on her that she just couldnt.
Thankfully my grandparents regained custody of me when I was
six, and I have lived with them in Brookings ever since. I
have just recently started building a relationship with my
mother, and it is off to a good start. I actually think that
my childhood is a big part of who I am today. I have this
desire to succeed that I cannot begin to explain, and I know
that I owe it to that determined little five year old that I
once was.
________________________________
Christopher
Neighbor
_______________________________________________
Why is it Still Here?
One of the worst drugs available on the market right now
is sold in clean white packages wrapped in shiny plastic.
You dont have to go very far to find it just head on
over to your nearest super market or local gas station.
Im talking about cigarettes.
As a twelve year old I had one of my most memorable
experiences with cigarettes. My dad and I had gone camping
and fishing at a local reservoir. While there I met this one
man who was very nice and showed me his special techniques
for catching catfish. Then he pulled out a cigarette, and as
he was lighting it, he told me to never start smoking
because once you try it you wont be able to quit. This
was burned into my brain in another instance by the owner of
my very first lawn mowing jobs. He had lost a lung to his
many years of smoking. He also warned me of the addictive
and destructive qualities of smoking.
But how exactly does smoking cause such a strong
addiction? The answer lies in the presence of nicotine. At
low levels it can cause the brain to release excess amounts
of dopamine and other neurotransmitters in the brain.
Dopamine has been linked with creating feelings of love and
pleasure, and when the brain receives outside stimuli for
its production, the brain reduces its own production while
also increasing the number of receptors. This causes great
withdrawals when people attempt to quit. The effects can
last from three months to a year after one has stopped
smoking. This is why with any drug one must never even try
it one time.
A severe detrimental attribute of cigarettes is that they
contain high levels of carcinogenic substances. One of these
substances is benzopryene, which is formed in the burning of
the cigarette. The oxidation of the benzopryene produces an
epoxide, which in turn covalently bonds with the DNA
distorting it and increasing the possibility of cancer. This
distortion is carried in the DNA for the rest of that
persons life and may be passed on to the next
generation increasing their chance of cancer. Cigarettes
also release carbon monoxide, which causes the blood stream
to be unable to carry oxygen to the brain causing cellular
suffocation.
Despite all these adverse qualities of cigarettes why are
they still allowed? There is no easy answer to this. It may
be because of tradition in our heritage. Or it could be the
taxes and funds our government receives from big tobacco
companies. Or it could just be the lack of knowledge and
apathy of our society. That is why we must raise the
awareness of the harmful aspects of cigarettes and other
illicit drugs and what can be done to prevent and stop their
use.
________________________________
Anonymous
_______________________________________________
In our American culture there are many interesting double
standards; however, none as intriguing as drug use. We are
collectively disturbed and astonished by our meth epidemics
and our nations childrens experimentation with
drugs of any kinds. We are even up in arms about the ever
growing use of medical marijuana; yet western medicine has
conditioned us to be totally complacent with popping
pills. We expect all problems to be immediately solved
by 2 brightly colored capsules and a glass of water; and
then, the next day we see a mass recall on whatever we were
taking because it caused more problems than anyone had in
the first place (unfortunately for us pharmaceutical
companies have too much money to be troubled with things
like conclusive long term studies) and we say nothing. The
legality of many of these drugs should be called into
question more often.
The dangers that Americans face day in and day out seem
to be constantly growing. We turn to prescription drugs to
help us cope with anxiety, depression, obesity, insomnia,
and still we have all of these fears to face. For some these
drugs are not enough so they turn to alcohol and illegal
drugs to help them live in this god-awful world.
This is the point where people decide that enough is enough
and putting these nasty things in your body is terrible. The
strange thing is that they always wait for the illegal drugs
to come into play before they decide to actually stop
themselves or the people they love from doing this while
nearly every month you see a new recall on a prescription
drug that has been linked to seizures or strokes, but no one
cares if you start to take them. It seems to be somewhat of
a skewed view of things.
Americans keeping quite about the problems with our
pharmaceutical drug companies may seem odd to you, but who
could really blame us? With out them none of us could ever
get well. But then, more and more people begin to discover a
medicine that they can grow themselves for a lot less money
and that is extremely effective in dealing with a number of
ailments such as: chronic physical pain, effects from AIDS
(nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite caused both by the
ailment itself and by many AIDS medications), the effects of
chemotherapy treatment, epileptic seizures, etc. We as a
culture have too much of a problem with this to allow its
use nationally, yet we still say nothing when hundreds of
people die from the use of over priced pharmaceutical drugs.
This is why pharmaceutical companies and prescription drugs
have caused more trouble than they are worth.
So maybe next time when you see a commercial for a sleep
aid or a hair growth pill that theyve found to cause
strokes and are recalling you can take a step back and ask
yourself why so many drug companies refuse to take the time
to fully research the long term effects of there products.
Maybe the next time that comes for you to vote and decide
for someone else, you might consider letting those who have
terrible diseases use a medicine to help them manage there
pain. Im not saying that all prescription drugs are
bad or that illegal drugs are good, Im just hoping
that you take the time to really examine all issues from
every side before you chose your own perspective.
________________________________
Sophia
Alena Soberon
_______________________________________________
Its all a fast paced process, everything before
your eyes goes too fast that there is no conscience; they
say it just happens that its something that moves
through your body and feeling faster than aging could. The
parties, the impulse, the desire, the pain, the risk, the
danger and the moment you choose to risk your life. Just
like that, and one day you might just be a hindrance to the
world, another mistake and this could be your fate, it could
have been mine.
There are no words and perfect introductions or teasers
to grasp even your attention, nothing else but the reality
of it. The constant danger of death looming over you daily
and hourly. This is not a typical account of a girl who
succumbed to drugs; this is about a girl who saw people
around her die. If you saw me today, you might not think it,
but behind my brown eyes, lie experiences that I would not
want to traverse on again.
Since I live in a small town completely consumed by drug
and alcohol abuse, I can say that drugs affected my life,
and they did. They still are. Oregon has a life-threatening
addictive issue at hand and its up to regular people
like me to describe my hardships even when Im not the
first hand dealer.
I have been told by so many others before me that high
school would be a different experience, with emphasis on
this difference, I guess you could say that decisions would
be harder to make. And this may all be well and true, yet I
have noticed that even the more youthful generations have
had to traverse these valleys, and I ask you, should these
young ones have to make the same decisions that a young
adult must evaluate?
My freshman year was the beginning of my development into
the person I am today. My parents knew the kind of people I
associated myself with, but not too often, did they remind
me since I had the will power to take care of
myself. That whole year I spent my time pretending to be
someone I knew I never could be. I was better, in the sense
that I was intelligent and passionate about my life. But I
wanted to believe that smoking and pretending to get high
was just a phase and a fun one at that.
That summer I spent time falling for a young man who in
reality had no respect for me. He tried to take my virginity
while he was drunk one day; the sky above me was spinning,
the grass was newly painted with dew and I was frightened
that I had just died, that I had just lost against myself. I
pushed him off and he faltered out of fear, its ironic
that he faltered since alcoholism truly is the escape from
fear. I started to cry because thankfully nothing happened,
I still had the one gift I always promised myself I would
keep for a special time, I still found I was alive, but
inside I was screaming since it was entirely my fault. I put
myself at risk that day and with that, I openly gave myself
to the sky above me; to the grace which had lifted me and
embraced me.
The same summer, I stayed with my family in California
for the next 2 months. My cousin was a very pivotal
character in my life, since she influenced me to sneak away
at late hours of the night to visit her friends. I found
myself once again almost losing my life since among these
friends was a sex offender. The details hereafter were too
hard to describe and therefore I will leave it to the
gods. Yet I will speculate that my cousin had had a
very rough childhood, she had grown from infant to adult
seeing things she should have never witnessed. Those horrors
were of drugs, drinking, outrage, men, and divorce.
Presently, I do not know how she is, but I do know that she
is still a child in many ways, still crying for help, and
still wanting unconditional love. The few remnants of her
past she has, I am sure, become dependent on and it is just
a matter of time before she realizes her own
insignificance.
Through out my high school career, mostly in the first
two, I had seen those close to me become an instrument of
drug and alcohol abuse and now I guarantee that they all for
the great majority of them have either left Brooking due to
their traumatizing experiences, or continue to wallow in
what we call the false hope cycle.
This cycle describes exactly how any kind of drug and
alcohol abuse only produces a short-term hope that things
still might yet be well, when in truth they are going in
circles trying to escape a process that only gets faster
that only conveys the sad truth that these young lives, the
ones that all organizations such as EFL (education for
life), S.T.A.R.Z , and other outreach missions in Oregon try
to prevent. Life should be enjoyable and full of childish
enthusiasm not a vast fissure in the youth of tomorrow, or a
hustle to make ends meat to keep a false hope
alive.
If I didnt have the family, belief, profound
respect for myself through all of thick and thin, I can
guarantee you, my reader that I would not be here today.
_______________________________
Anonymous
________________________________________
It was in the third grade where I first remember hearing
the word "marijuana". I still recall the presentation that
day: the warmly lit classroom was full of eight and
nine-year-olds, some listening intently while others
fidgeted around, already restless. I sat at the edge of the
class, slouched in my seat and wondering if the teacher
would yet again notice the open book hidden under my desk.
Within a few minutes, however, I too was listening intently
to the guest speaker. Her topic was the effects of drugs. Up
until that point, all I had known in regards to drugs was
"Just say no", a phrase with positive intentions, but one
which left many of us in the dark as for what we were saying
no to. As we listened curiously, the guest speaker proceeded
to explain to us what drugs were, their effects, as well as
descriptions and nicknames of some of the more common
ones.
That night, I went home excited, eager to tell my dad
what I had learned. He listened, far more seriously than I
had expected, then told me, as if he could not emphasize
enough, how dangerous marijuana was. I hadn't known how
strongly he felt about the subject; it wasn't until years
later when I learned that he had been close to someone with
a drug addiction.
Years passed, and the novelty of the drug presentation
soon turned into a tedious repetition. The information and
style of the initial presentation was repeated until the
topic became more of a dull joke than anything else. Among
my classmates, and myself drugs would be spoken of
humorously and we saw little danger in the topic. After all,
the adults who warned us about them were just overreacting,
right? Besides, it wasn't as if any of us were actually
doing drugs-at least so I thought.
As I began my high school years, I realized my error. It
started as I noticed that the people who hid behind the
dumpsters and little alleyways smoking were now my peers.
Some of the discussions changed from jokingly talking about
"getting high" into serious conversations about getting
wasted. Then, one day during class, a student behind me was
caught chewing tobacco. I couldn't believe it at the time.
Why would anyone, after being aware of the dangers of drugs,
still choose to do them? Was it a desire to rebel against an
authority figure? To show that they are in charge of their
own lives, even if it means destroying themselves? The
frequent excuse of peer pressure? I do not know the answer,
but still find myself asking the question: Why?
________________________________
Anonymous
_______________________________________________
Anabolic Steroids
The youth of our nation is exposed to all sorts of
drug-related content. I believe the use of anabolic steroids
by athletes is one of the major drug problems in the United
States. Professional athletes/role models continue to use
these drugs despite all the morbid side effects of which
they are aware. Apparently being strong and good looking is
better than life.
As far as I am concerned, using anabolic steroids for
competition is cheating. It is not fair to those athletes
who refuse to take steroids, who are then put at a
disadvantage. It is also not fair to the kids who look up to
these athletes. I remember how disappointed I was when I
heard the beginning of the Barry Bonds controversy. My
favorite baseball player is a cheater. Other kids might
still look up to him and decide to try the drug out for
themselves. Sporting leagues have banned the use of
performance enhancing drugs to prevent this cheating, as
well as preventing unnecessary health risks.
Performance enhancing drugs have few pros and many cons.
The positive effects are increasing muscle mass which makes
a person stronger, and reducing body fat. The negative
effects of this drug are numerous. To get to the bloodstream
the drug is chemically altered so it will avoid breakdown by
the liver, which can cause liver damage. The left ventricle
of the heart (muscle) can increase in size causing
disruption in blood flow, which can lead to heart attack and
death. Aggressive behavior has also been observed. There are
many more side effects of anabolic steroid use.
Athletes should not be the only ones avoiding anabolic
steroids. Not a single person should take this drug.
Steroids should only be used for medical purposes. You
should work out and build muscle naturally through hard work
and diet.
In conclusion, anabolic steroids are an unnecessary
health risk for everyone, not only athletes. Athletes who
use them in competition are cheating as well as setting a
poor example for the younger generation.
________________________________
Ellen
Stadelman
_______________________________________________
I look at the assignment sheet given me and shake my
head. Im supposed to write a nonfiction essay
about the downside of someones involvement with drugs
for October. Call me crazy, but I cant think of
an up-side of substance abuse to write about. If
I were to tell you about how someone I know, or I myself,
got mixed up on the wrong side of drugs, it would have to be
purely fictional. So Im given some idea starters: 1.
How have drugs affected my life? 2. Am I dealing with peer
pressure to experience drugs? 3. How have I helped a friend
stay drug-free or helped a friend to stop using drugs? 4.
What do I know about the dangers of underage drug use? 5.
How often do I see pro-drug content in movies, in songs, on
clothes or elsewhere? 6. How old was I if and when I first
tried an illicit drug? I can tell this is going to be
difficult, when the idea starters turn out to be all duds. I
run through them in my head. 1. Drugs havent directly
affected my life. 2. I have never been approached with
drugs, nor have any of my friends. 3. None of my friends has
ever had a drug problem. 4. What does it matter how old you
are when you do drugs? They hurt you just the same. 5. The
movies I watch often times involve cigarettes and maybe a
biochemical spider bite, but for the most part are drug
free. 6. Ive never tried any kind of drugs.
I read further on my assignment sheet and see: The
public doesnt get to see the impact drugs have on our
students from their perspective. Its time to
listen. These kinds of assignments and health class
are the two major places where drugs impact my life at
school. What I see in the community are flyers, speeches,
and protests all about the growing drug problems everywhere.
I see, and hear commercials about fifteen year olds who
tried meth and couldnt get off it, asking teens not to
follow their path. What I dont see is people realizing
that we dont all follow that path. That our schools
arent centralized around drugs, and that we can be
trusted to make the right choices.
Im not saying that there isnt a drug problem,
or that efforts to get rid of it should be stopped. I
realize that I am probably one of the very few who has been
so removed from any contact with drugs that its more
an idea than a reality to me. What I am saying is that there
are those of us who are doing what is deemed right, and good
every day, and you cant see us. How have drugs
impacted my life? Theyve made me invisible.
________________________________
Anonymous
_________________________________________________
Anyone who attends public school will be constantly
susceptible to propaganda about drugs on both sides of the
fence. You will get this information through various mediums
including the school and the student body. I find incredibly
important to learn everything you can on a subject before
you take a particular stance or opinion on said subject.
When I was in grade school we had a speaker go before the
class and tell us about drugs. Her speech could easily be
summed up into If you ever do drugs you will
progressively do worse and worse drugs until you die or you
will go to jail for ever,. Being in grade school I
believed everything I heard and was grateful to be warned
about these horrible thing.
Then along came middle school, which is statistically
when most people try drugs for the first time. This was the
first time in my life I had ever heard of drugs being
referred to in a positive sense. You might say this was also
my first encounter with peer pressure, but I was never
encountered in a persuasive manner and told that I should
partake in the consumption of illicit substances. The number
one substance I would hear about was marijuana. The
understanding that I was able to gist from its users was
that it was benevolent because it grew from the earth and
that it made you high which was an amazing thing
that all human beings should experience and may end all war
and human suffering.
By the time I went to high school I did my research on
the issue and discovered that neither side was entirely
correct. Marijuana is not the devil and neither is it
gods gift to man. I decided not to do it because of
the chance of legal repercussions and because I was in high
school plays and my school had drug testing for extra
curricular activities. Overall it seemed like a waste of
time and money. I also didnt want any unnecessary
vices in my life at this time. However, I came to this
conclusion through educated reasoning. I didnt stay
away from it because the administration says that it was
bad. And I definitely wasnt about to do something just
because my peers do it. I have learned that blind conformity
can and often will only lead to the loss of your
independence and that carefully studying subjects and
comparing them to your own values and needs before making a
decision or voicing an opinion is a very wise choice.
________________________________
Anonymous
________________________________________________
June 13, 2005, a 15 year old girl dies at the hands of
methamphetamines. Cold and alone, she was found across the
street from a church parking lot, hidden by the protection
of an alleyway dumpster. Several needles were found strewn
around her as if others carelessly ditched them quickly.
This isnt just looking through The Pilot and skimming
the jail logs and noticing your gas attendant is going to
court for possession. This isnt another written
pamphlet that warns you about dangers of drugs
and why teens shouldnt shoot up. This is bitter
reality. This girl wasnt just a statistic to me; she
was my friend.
Angela lived a block away from my house in an old
downtown Victorian that awed me every time I was invited
over. Whenever the doorbell was pressed, a loud, majestic
ringing would alert the inside, and a small, blond head
would peek through the glass. Sometimes I would be jealous
because her whole life seemed so easy; a ride to school,
ballet lessons and a new Barbie doll whenever report cards
came out. But time went by and I learned to deal with
it.
In 7th grade, we were inseparable. I could go on about my
grades and the school dances and the day that we planned to
wear matching Harry Potter shirts on twin day, but all that
really sounds mundane and pointless, now. However, a day
that should be recognized is the day that she met Travis. He
ruined her.
One Tuesday after school, when Angela came over to do
homework, she mentioned her older sister, Caity. The night
before, Caity invited her to one of her friends
parties. Angela told me about how she needed to use the
bathroom and Travis led her to find the nearest one.
Hes so cute, she kept squealing. Did
you know that hes a sophomore in high school?
Angela proceeded to tell me that she was meeting him in the
high school parking lot tomorrow after school.
Week after week, I was bombarded with stories about how
much older and sophisticated he was. How he drank wine from
his parents refrigerator and they didnt care and
how his dad would give him a little pot when Travis ran an
errand for him.
Travis says that its completely harmless. All
it does is calms you down for awhile. Really, I only tried
it once and I didnt even like it. Im not going
to do it again. She carefully reassured me. Somehow,
by the tone in her voice and the fascination in her eyes, I
couldnt believe her. I didnt believe her, but I
didnt have the heart to tell her parents.
Though this was all about four years ago I remember
police cars speeding past the middle school and seeing
Travis escorted out of the building with cuffs on his
wrists. Later, Angela informed me that he was caught with
meth in his backpack and the cops were called. But she
didnt hesitate to pull a tiny, thin plastic bag out of
her bra. A fine, white powder looked me straight in the
face. I couldnt believe it.
ANGELA! I screamed. Where did she get it? How
did she use it? How long had she used it for? All these
questions came spilling out of my mouth. My mind was racing
with thoughts of her on the bathroom floor of Caitlyns
room with a needle in her arm. Does she scream like they do
in the movies? Why didnt she have red spots on her
face? What the hell was going on?!
Turns out, shed used it three times before and she
could stop whenever she wanted to. (I know that
it sounds cliché and everyone hears it all the time,
but the moment that you actually hear someone you love
excuse them with it, you dont know how powerful those
words can really be.)
She could not stop. She just couldnt.
One night, I walked into her room and heard crying. I
looked behind her bed and in her closet, but I couldnt
see her. She was hiding underneath her desk crouched in a
little ball, just itching and hysterically clawing at the
wood. I didnt breathe.
Theyre everywhere! Please, please stop it!
Stop it! Get them off me!
Angela was crying and pleading with me, but her eyes were
blank; she didnt see me. Her fingers found the hem of
my jeans and she began to brush them and pick at them all
the while trying to dig her nails into her neck.
Angela, stop it! Theres nothing there!
I tried to reason. I didnt know what was
happening.
I cant sleep. I cant sleep or else
theyll come. They sent all these bugs. There all here
on my legs and
my arms and they want it. But hes
gone. I tried to tell them that hes not here and I
dont have it. Please, get these bugs off me...
STOP!! she cried and scratched and tried to save me
from these bugs as well. So I held her. I held her and
rocked her and stroked her hair.
I did my best to get her to the front room and to get a
phone in my hand. She was beginning to scream at me and
punch my legs and arms and anything she could reach. She
told me shed never stop and it was the best thing
thatd ever happened to her. And hour later, the police
came and took her away from me.
That was a year ago and now shes dead. They let her
go back home after awhile under the supervision of her
parents, but she got out somehow. No one knows who was with
her or how she got out. But I know that there are a lot of
teens saying that its okay and that they, too can stop
whenever. Its not true. Angela Maria Consuelo
was my friend. She was another teen victim to drugs.
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