As a resident of Bayside, I am deeply concerned about an epidemic sweeping our neighborhood. It has claimed the lives of many people I once called my friends and continues to live in the lifeless faces of many more. Heroin.
This addictive drug has found its way into the hands of many adolescents, stealing their freedom and sealing their fate. It is not too late. We must help them. I am writing today in hopes that you will provide me with a platform for which I can advocate for those who have been silenced by a heroin addiction. National surveys note that upwards of 29 percent of 12th graders know where to purchase heroin. That number is too large, especially in a neighborhood as small as ours.
Bringing awareness to this issue would enable parents to see what is happening when they think their children are going to O’Connor Park to hang out. Bringing awareness to such a sensitive topic could bring about great change. Its time to break the silence. I hope you view this as important as it is and give it the attention it deserves.
Laura Archer
Bayside
