We, the undersigned, believe that there should be a mandatory class for every grade about substance abuse, and this class should be integrated into advisory and a once per week discussion/class. There is currently no specific class about substance abuse awareness. All we know are the basics from middle school, and that information gets fuzzier every year.

      We need a more serious and in depth program detailing the true effects of addiction. We need something that will truly convince kids not to play around with substance addiction. We need a class that goes over every gruesome detail; every ounce of information that we can give to kids to convince them that substance abuse is not the solution. According to the Science and Management of Addictions foundation, one that has collaborated with many schools to provide proper substance abuse education, teenagers are “sensitive to neurological assault”. We are at greater risk for addiction and for permanent damage both intellectually and emotionally. We need a good program to prevent substance abuse, when we are in the perfect time and mentality to be at the greatest risk. We need to learn about these drugs and what they can really do to our lives and us. There needs to be an informative curriculum for every grade about substance abuse.