Pubdate: Tue, 08 Mar 2005 Source: Joplin Globe, The (MO) Copyright: 2005 The Joplin Globe Contact: http://www.joplinglobe.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/859 Author: Roy Moenkhoff HAVE WE LOST THE WAR ON DRUGS? I read with great interest the article (Globe, March 4) about the middle school kids taking pills and becoming sick. Aside from the fact that the kids took the pills in the first place, in all probability they didn't even know what the pills were for. Like many people who use drugs of any kind, they were looking for a high. The pills they took were prescription meds, but what if it had been Ecstasy, LSD or something along those lines? We have been telling kids for years now not to do drugs, but evidently some of them are ignoring the message. I'm sure they have the attitude of, "Oh, it won't hurt ME!" Until we can convince people, especially young people, that all drugs are dangerous when used improperly (even aspirin) then we have surely lost the war on drugs. Roy Moenkhoff Mount Vernon - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin