Question: Do you think the drug war is a justified or failed policy?

Answer: I believe the drug war is a justified policy. Drug use is a serious problem that affects a wide range of the population around the world, from young children to older adults. Drugs like cocaine, marijuana and heroin are illegal, and the drug policy address that fact and helps to educate the public about the harmful effects of drug use. Even though drugs are still around, this does not mean the drug war is a failed policy. Some policies are great in nature but cannot alone solve an entire problem, especially one as big as the drug problem. To solve the drug problem will also take the commitment and desire of the public not to use drugs. Furthermore, because a policy does not solve a problem right away, it does not make the policy faulty. Policies are not made to solve problems in a day; they are made to solve problems over time, whether it be in days, weeks, months, or years. In all, I believe the drug war policy is not a failure; the policy proves we are trying our hardest and using all of our resources to educate people about the dangers of drug use. I believe that we are moving toward success every time we educate people about drugs and every time just one person decides not to try drugs.
Lauren

Question: How does one go about ending up on your board?
Thank you,
John

Answer: John,
Volunteers for the Teens Ask Teens project are picked from the D.A.R.E. Youth Advisory Board. The D.A.R.E. Youth Advisory Board is comprised of one representative from each of the 50 states. To qualify, the representative has to be a high school student, support D.A.R.E. and its teachings, practice leadership, and possess positive qualities. Furthermore, to become one of the Youth Advisory Board representatives, candidates have to submit a resume, an essay explaining why they should be chosen for the their state’s representative, and a letter of recommendation from their D.A.R.E. officer.

Once chosen for the Youth Advisory Board, there are different projects that representatives can take part in. The Teens Ask Teens project is one of those groups. To be chosen for this project, candidates have to send their resume to the DEA, as well as an essay explaining why they should be chosen. If everything checks out and that candidate is the best candidate, he or she will be chosen for the project.
Lauren

Question: Hello, I've actually got a couple of questions, and I'd really be happy if you could help me. I'm doing a drug project for my health class, and there are two questions I still can't answer, they are: What are some strategies to reduce the influence that popular music has in creating an environment portraying drugs as "normal" everyday life? And, the other is: List some things that can be done in a community to raise awareness on drug issues. If you could just help me a little, I'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks, God Bless.
Sincerely, Ashley

Answer: Hi Ashley,
This project seems really intriguing. As for your first question,"What are some strategies to reduce the influence that popular music has in creating an environment portraying drugs as "normal" everyday life," the first strategy I would say is to suggest that people actually listen to the song lyrics. Whenever drugs are mentioned in songs, there are usually other dangerous and violent aspects included in the songs, such as names of guns, shootings, and other criminal acts like robbery. By listening closely to the words of the song and figuring out what the artist's intentions for the song is, it will be easier for the listener to realize that this is not normal everyday life for themselves, or for most of the people in the world. Hopefully, actually hearing and understanding the lyrics will help reduce the influence on that individual, as well as others.

Another strategy I would suggest using is looking up background information on the artist singing the song and the producer of the song. By doing some research, the listener will have more information as to why the artist/producer sang/wrote the song. The listener can then see what events caused the song to be written and performed and realize that those events and the song are not truly normal every day life.

One more strategy is for the listener to distinguish the difference between the words in the song and everyday life. This can be done if the listener does not try to completely relate his/her life to the entire song. If the listener just listens to the music for entertainment purposes and not live the situations expressed in the song, the influence of the song should be minute.

As for your second question, "List some things that can be done in a community to raise awareness on drug issues," there are plenty of things you can do. Every year in my community around prom, the town places a car that was involved in an alcohol or drug related crash in front of the high school. There is also a sign near the car that states how the accident occurred and how many people were injured and killed. This is a really sad, but accurate, way to raise awareness on drug issues. Another thing you can do is start a club about the drug issues in your community. You can ask your D.A.R.E. officer to help you start, run, and promote the club to people in your community. Moreover, you can talk to your D.A.R.E. officer about initiating an annual day dedicated to the D.A.R.E. program that the whole community is involved in. In my community, we have an annual "D.A.R.E. Day." This is where all of the students, D.A.R.E. officers from the community, parents, and neighbors can come to learn more about the D.A.R.E. program, drugs and other substances, new issues that are arising, and new approaches to stop the drug issues. There are also games and food available. It is a fun and educational day for everyone involved. Another thing you can do is to go to www.dareamerica.org, to see how other students and D.A.R.E. representatives have raised awareness about drugs in their communities.

I hope I helped! I wish you all the best of luck with your project!
Lauren

Question: Hey, my name is Katie. Well, my boyfriend smokes marijuana and I told him I didn't care, but now he does it a lot and it's really starting to bug me. I don't know what to do because if I tell him to stop, he'll just do it behind my back. I won't break up with him for that because I love him too much. Please don't tell me what everyone else says, "If he loves you, he'll stop for you" because I know he does love me, we just have different views on this sort of thing. But I really just don't know what to do. Help.

Answer: Hi Katie,
Thanks so much for writing to Teens Ask Teens. As a starting point, I believe you should let your boyfriend know why you want him to quit smoking marijuana. These reasons can be both personal and scientific, telling him how much his smoking habit bothers you and telling him facts about the consequences of smoking marijuana. You should let him know that you want the best for him and that you will be there for him and help support him. By showing how much you truly care about him and his health, he may realize that quitting marijuana is the best choice he can make. More information about marijuana can be found at justthinktwice.com/drugfacts/, www.usdoj.gov/dea/concern/marijuana.html and teens.drugabuse.gov. These websites will definitely help you with the scientific aspects and help strengthen your case on the reasons why he should quit smoking marijuana. By using a combination of reasons, I believe you will be able to successfully reach your boyfriend about his smoking habit.
You can also talk with a parent or guidance counselor. I was once in a situation where my best friend was purposely hurting herself. I tried talking with my friend and being there for her and even though it almost worked, I ended up going to my mom with the situation. My mom talked with her parents and everything turned out okay. She was not angry with me because she realized that I had her best interests and her health in mind. Telling a parent or another adult figure is not "telling on" your boyfriend, since you are only trying to help him. I wish you the best of luck with this. I hope I helped!
Lauren

Question: Hi, my name is Monique, and I have a question. Do you think having other activities in high school, even though you are surrounded with people who use, can really help your decision not to use drugs?

Answer: Hi Monique! Thanks for your question. Yes, I strongly believe that having other activities in high school can help your decision about not using drugs. If you have other activities that you are involved in, such as sports, clubs, jobs, and extracurricular classes, you will realize that it does not matter who is using because you will be so involved in your activities. Also, by having other hobbies, your ability to make the right decision about drugs is increased because you are surrounded by people who do not pressure you negatively.
As a personal example, I know some kids in my school that use drugs and alcohol. Even though I am surrounded by these kids day-to-day, I have other activities that I love, including dancing and ice skating. I know that drugs and alcohol will mess up my life, especially when I dance or skate. Because I have these activities and a few more, I also do not have too much time to think about taking drugs or alcohol. If you are involved in activities that you really enjoy, with people who inspire you to be the best that you can be, than your decision not to use drugs should be easily made -- even if you are surrounded with people who use. I hope this helps!

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