Any who denies the presence of drugs in this high school is a fool. It is this denial, this ignorance of the cold and harsh realities of an imperfect world, which allows Naperville to be so vulnerable when it comes to even starting a conversation about a growing epidemic.
We, the Central Times editorial board, believe that Naperville teens are in the center of a rising drug problem, so much so that we’ve devoted multiple pages of this issue to the topic. We are unanimously against hard drug use, and in no way should statements from anonymous users in both the news and feature stories be interpreted as a glorification of narcotics use. In fact, their perspectives were critical in allowing us to tell this story.
The Central Times believes that District 203 and the Naperville Police Department must work together to prevent drug abuse in our schools and community. We understand the need to target a younger generation with prevention pro- grams such as Too Good For Drugs, but question why there is little effort to combat drug use at the high school level, where it is most prevalent.
It’s appalling to think that these issues could go ignored. Two District 204 students died last summer from drug overdoses. We cannot wait until a Central student is lost–until tears are spilled, until hearts are hollowed out- before taking action. We believe that genuine presentations and programs that effectively send a message to kids, teens and adults alike are necessary. If using scare tactics makes them more effective, then fear should be exploited.
We are a fortunate community, but with heavier pockets come harder drugs. Still, wealth is not completely to blame for these arising issues. It’s the mindset of the Naperville teen: we seem to have adopted an air of invincibility. Granted, we have access to top-notch public education and quality goods, as well as the ability to carelessly leave doors unlocked without facing consequence of home intrusion. We are so used to security that we reject it to satisfy our youthful and reckless needs. Some choose to go see a movie on Friday night. Others get high.
It’s also unsettling to realize that many parents turn away from their kids’ habits. A parent- child relationship exists not as a friendship, but a mentorship where parents are responsible for leading their children in the right direction. The bliss of ignorance lasts as long as it takes for a kid to overdraft a checking account from one too many drug purchases. And an indifferent attitude toward substance abuse is just as damaging as a supportive one.
Whether some of us admit it or not, we are fortunate to grow up in Naperville. It’d surely be a shame to reject all of these benefits meant to better your life in favor of heroin, acid, and ecstasy, all things meant to end it.
If you are struggling with drug abuse, seek help–there’s plenty of it. If you’re curious what an acid trip feels like, go ahead and read about it in our Features section and you’ll get a basic idea. But “just one time,” are some famous last words. So, remember this: You are a friend. You are a brother, a sister, a cousin. You are a son. A daughter. Someone looks up to you. Someone enjoys your company. Someone loves you.
And no matter how hard we try, we are not invincible.
