Drug Education Project Takes Unique Approach

Drug Education Project Takes Unique Approach

Northeast Star-Review - 1980

An approach to drug education and abuse prevention put together by the partnership of an ex-drug addict and a mother of three children is currently being used in northeast area schools.

The program has been presented to some 8000 students, including classes in El Sereno, Lincoln Heights, Highland Park, Eagle Rock and East Los Angeles.

According to the project director Mrs. Mary Drusts, herself the mother of three teenage school children, “In our current society drugs have become increasingly available at early ages, with drug use and subsequent dependence on both illicit and legally prescribed drugs now commonplace in every walk of life.”

“It has become apparent to a majority of teachers, administrators and parents that drugs are playing a large part in the decline of our educational results. As the future of our society depends to a large extent on how well we are able to educate our children to take their places as effective, responsible and willing adults - I think it’s time we all got a bit concerned about what drugs are doing to the minds and ambitions of our nation’s children.”

“We must also face the hard fact,” Mrs. Drusts concludes, “that it is not some sleazy, pockmarked pusher lurking in the shadows of the schoolyard that is turning your or my child onto drugs, but far more likely it is the kid next door. It is from this basis - that kids get onto drugs through the urging and pressure from their friends, as an “in” thing to do - that we must approach the problem.”

EX-ADDICT

John Duff, the main lecturer for the project, has a slightly different reason for his devotion to keeping youngsters away from drugs. “As a 27 year old ex-addict with a drug history stretching back to when I was 14 years old, I really wanted to do something to keep other kids from going down that road.”