Red Ribbon Week Focuses on Being Drug Free

The Crimson Crier partnered with the PTO for the first ever Red Ribbon Week Essay and Art Contest. This year’s theme was Be Happy, Be Brave, Be Drug free. Two works were chosen from the seven entries to be given a $50 Amazon gift card.

Essay Winner: Cooper Smitherman

Be Happy, Be Brave, Be Drug Free!

These three ideas are fundamentally connected to each other, as one cannot be happy without also being drug free, and one requires bravery to stay drug free. Being drug free essentially means choosing to be happy and brave by avoiding drugs, as they can often be misconstrued as a provider of happiness and it can be difficult to avoid them given their prevalence within society.

A common misconception spread by others is that drugs can be beneficial to your happiness. This is inherently false, as they’re a proven way to dramatically hinder your quality of life by altering your mind to a point where you and those that care about you will no longer recognize who you are. Drugs are often advertised by others as an easy way to escape reality and forget all of your troubles, however, using them begins an endless cycle of an unhealthy way to deal with your problems, as they cause you to lose sight of yourself and result in health problems, social isolation, and more bad decisions that will only cause you to stray further away from a sense of happiness. By choosing to be drug free, these unnecessary problems are avoided and a more effective approach to resolving your issues can be taken. Being drug free is choosing to lead a happier life, as going down a path involving drugs only leads to more misery. 

Furthermore, a situation that frequently arises is someone being pressured into using drugs by someone else, and saying no can often seem difficult, especially if that someone is a person you see as a friend.. The allure can be strong in moments of weakness, and it takes bravery to say no. Choosing to use drugs when offered is a mistake that is made too frequently, but it’s a mistake that can be avoided. When these situations present themselves, it’s important to remember the many problems that can be caused by taking drugs, and it takes a strong mind to realize these problems and say no to drugs. The amount of pressure that is given to take drugs by others can seem overwhelming at times, which is why it requires bravery to stay away from drugs and continue to pursue a happy life rather than one that is dependent on a substance that will only continue to bring pain and distress to your life. All in all, choosing to be drug free is also choosing to be happy and brave instead of succumbing to the pressure of taking drugs out of the false promises that it will lead to a better and more fulfilling life. Choosing to be drug free is choosing a better life.