Last Thursday, a beautiful 18 year old girl from Colorado Springs lost her life due to participating in Molly while at a friend's house. Megan was a cheerleader and well-liked student in her community. She was getting ready to attend college in the fall. She was getting ready to change the world.
I remember before my high school prom many of my peers and members of my class chose to participate in consumption of harmful drugs, like Molly, to "pre-game" the school event. Don't get me wrong these peers were great kids. Their parents would never expect them to do any drugs in high school. They were nice, talented, and are currently on their way to also change the world. But what if they ended up with the same fate as Megan?
I am not stupid. Many teenagers and young adults currently use drugs for recreational purposes, forgetting about the potential risks and dangers. Over the past six years, ER visits due to the use of Molly have risen 128%; one reason being "role models" in our current society, being engaged in these drugs and vocalizing it in their music and lifestyle, has been a large affect. In Miley Cryus's hit song "We Can't Stop", with over 564 million views she says the lyrics "Dancing With Miley" on purpose to sound like "Dancing With Molly". There are more celebrities in the public eye who have lied to our generation leading us to believe that drugs are fine, safe, and a great way to "pre-game". No one ever sings about the deaths and hospital visits, and the thousands of visits to rehab said celebrities have experienced because they indulged in risky behavior.
Is the drug with the potential risk of losing your life worth the "cool" feeling you get for a couple hours?
To my generation: THINK.
I could address this to your parents to educate you on the drugs and the risks but chances are no parents see the risk of drug involvement in their perfect suburb and their child who attends youth group.
I am not stupid. I know it is more common then most people notice, but I am asking you to think realistically is it worth it? Is it worth your mom crying over your grave? Is it worth your dad planning your funeral, something he thought he would never have to do? Is it worth giving up your dreams and chance to change the world?
I blame society for Megan's death. I blame society for all the teenagers and young adults who have overdosed on drugs. We are all the problem. We have glamorized drug-use to be fun.
We need to change. Let this last death change our view on drugs once and for all. No, you won't necessarily always die if you participate in drugs like Molly, but you are increasing your chances. Is it worth the risk?
One day our grand-kids will be reading about all we as a generation have participated in. I hope when they read their textbooks they think "wow we have big shoes to fill our grandparents did amazing things!" I hope they read of our generation changing the world for the good, instead of going through phases where testing our bodies limits were cool. I pray they don't think "wow what idiots. Why didn't they ever learn?"
