By YM/GySgt Leylia Rico Tarrant County (TX) “Okay, so today I have to tell you about how drugs are bad, I guess...” my teacher said after the bell rang for class to begin. She sounded very bored and annoyed that the meaningless topic of drugs is interrupting her lesson plan of Spanish verb conjugations. Teachers in some schools are required to talk about drugs, violence, or drinking. Many teachers, however, believe this to be a waste of their time. We, as high school students, should know enough about drugs already that we don’t have to have these talks. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Many high-schoolers only know about how drugs are “like, somehow bad on our health... or, whatever” (a high school stu- dent who is obviously not a Young Ma- rine), but they lack the knowledge of why they are actually bad, and what is actu- ally in drugs that make them unhealthy (or even dangerous). I can understand why everyone in the room groans with the topic of drug abuse comes up. I would much rather be learning Pre-Calculus. But the difference between me and many is that I can ex- plain why drugs are bad. Drugs contain substances that were never made to go into the human body. Abusing drugs could take control of my whole life. Drugs can waste money and leave me on the streets. I could die, leav- ing my family and friends devastated. I also know about all of the drugs’ imme- diate effect on the human body and how they can affect the brain. I have some knowledge on the topic of drugs. But, as I stated before, many kids don’t know what I know. They are told that it is bad and to “say no”. Well how do you say “no” if you don’t know why? Many kids will try drugs, just to see, they can’t be that bad anyway, right? I mean, everyone is doing it. Finally, you have kids who are addicted to drugs and who then try to get their other unsus- pecting friends into abusing drugs. The cycle will go on. It won’t stop until the ignorance is terminated. Until kids are taught to fear drugs for what they really are. Until all of us are taught to have a very healthy fear of the killer. Until then, this endless cycle will go on. E-Cigarettes, and an Example of the Endless Cycle of Ignorance The Department of Defense selected the Miami Val- ley Young Marines from Huber Heights, Ohio, as this year’s winner of the Fulcrum Shield. The award rec- ognizes military-affiliated youth organizations around the world that have made intensive efforts at spread- ing anti-drug messages in local communities. The youth members of the Miami Valley Young Ma- rines completed more than two thousand hours of to- tal community service with more than 800 hours being trained in drug demand reduction and teaching drug demand reduction (DDR) to others in the community. The total number of people reached throughout the year: 343,623. “We are extremely proud of Miami Valley Young Ma- rines for their remarkable efforts in educating the lo- cal community on the hazards of gateway drugs,” said Col. William P. Davis USMC (Ret), National Executive Director and CEO of the Young Marines.The Young Ma- rines or one of its units has been awarded a Fulcrum Shield nine times. Congratulations, Miami Valley YMs (The Young Marines’ Ninth Fulcrum Shield Award!) YOUNG MARINES ESPRIT ONLINE 9