Few of society’s ills are as damaging as drugs and alcohol.

Friday, February 02, 2001

Few of society’s ills are as damaging as drugs and alcohol. They destroy families, ravage souls and end lives.

That’s exactly why everyone should be concerned about ensuring that young people don’t get into the habit. It’s a habit, once started, that is difficult to entirely break.

Parents and other concerned citizens in the Freeborn County area have an excellent opportunity to learn more about drugs and what to do about them. A free informational session is being offered Monday at Albert Lea High School.s

For parents, it’s a chance not only to learn about the problem, but an opportunity to start discussions about drugs with their children. Part of the reason many adults have a hard time talking about drugs with their kids, we suspect, is that it’s hard to break the initial silence about the subject. Monday’s event could give them a chance to bypass that barrier, with the plain facts about drugs laid out for all to see.

If everyone does their best to educate themselves about substance abuse – its roots, its symptoms and its cures – the community’s health can only benefit.

The planners and sponsors of the event are to be commended for offering such an important session dedicated to a crucial topic.

We hope adults and kids alike will pack the auditorium Monday and come away with a better chance of defeating substance abuse in their own homes.