It is our position that substance abuse and addiction cause a major burden to society. Red Ribbon Week is traditionally observed the last week in October as an opportunity to talk to our children and the children in our lives about the dangers of drug abuse.

Most elementary-aged children will wear their red ribbon with pride as they tote their backpacks home for the evening. Unfortunately, the schools can’t control what happens after the child leaves school property. Far too many children are exposed to drug and substance abuse at home. What happens along the way that changes the wide-eyed innocent child who knows drugs are bad into an abuser? Boredom, heredity and environment likely play a role. We’ve turned into a society that breathalyses students before events and urine tests them when they get home, all in the name of safety because the technology is available.

Can law enforcement keep up with regulating the list of household ingredients used to manufacture new drugs? Should non-users have to suffer the consequences? Legalizing the “not so bad” drugs hardly seems like the correct answer. While it may seem trite and simplistic, in the words of former first lady Nancy Reagan, “Just say, NO.”