Connecticut students send anti-drug message at rally

By Staff Writer

Teenagers in a Connecticut town recently gathered for the 20th edition of an anti-drug rally.

According to The Bristol Press, students from two middle schools and a high school spoke at the event while members of the community attended to show their support. Some of the teens wore T-shirts to represent the various clubs and sports teams in the schools as a message to their peers that many fun and rewarding activities exist that do not involve drugs.

“Stay off the meth and you’ll be a success,” student Madison Chapman said during the rally, according to the news provider.

A representative from the town council praised the students and other members of the community for turning over thousands of doses of drugs during a collection event in May. The school's superintendent challenged parents and kids to engage in honest conversations with each other about drug use.

After the rally, the students lit candles in memory of teenagers whose lives were cut short by drug use.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 20 percent of high school students have taken a prescription drug without a doctor's order.