Inherent in drug usage and underage tobacco and alcohol use are consequences like the bust that occurred at Los Gatos High. What the community of Los Gatos must be aware of, is that these consequences are an important part of a vast program of prevention that we have in our town. The elementary and high school districts provide health education to our students each year for the 15 years they are in our schools.

In the last few years, our elementary schools have incorporated character education, concentrating on a character trait each month. D.A.R.E. (Drug Awareness Resistance Education) has been in place in our fifth grades for the past six years, and the majority of the students will write that this program is a significant deterrent to making bad choices about alcohol, tobacco and other drug usage.

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