Students from the Centre County joined the community to celebrate a day on Substance abuse. This provided the ideal opportunity for the youth to unite with the community members to take a firm stand against substance usage.

Red Ribbon Week was begun in 1985 in the memory of a drug enforcement officer, Enrique Camarena, who was killed while on duty. He was an undercover agent but was unfortunately killed by a drug cartel in Mexico and in his remembrance family members and fellow agents begun to wear red ribbons.

Camarena’s death was greeted by the community emulating what his close associates were doing by having the red ribbons in his honor. Societies that were having a problem of alcoholism and other related or unrelated drugs adopted the red ribbon as a sign of hope for healthy, safe and drug free society.

Nowadays, in Centre County, Red Ribbon celebrations are held in schools where prevention counselors sign the youth to Red Ribbon week Pledge. The pledge swears the youth to be drug free, and pledge to be drug, alcohol and tobacco free and to lead a positive and healthy life. They also pledge to tell others on the harmful effects of drug, alcohol and tobacco misuse. They also affirm to value their life and the lives of their families’ and friends. They lastly commit to be substance abuse free.

The weeklong celebrations provided the community especially the youth with very important information on the harmful effects of substance abuse. A community where teenage and alcoholism are alarming, the youth are united and given a chance to have their questions answered and views listened to.

With many youth opting not to drink, they get worried of their age mates and the community when substance usage is prevalent. On signing the pledge on drug abuse, they are in other words telling the community they have better ways to spend their free time, goals to be attained and neither alcohol nor drugs can get in their way.

Parents are advised to talk with their children on the Red Ribbon Week and tell them what is expected of them and guide in drug misuse. Most parents feel that teenage children are on the right track. In truth, that is not always the case. As teenagers are discovering themselves and becoming more independent, they have their parents as their role models.

Image Credit: