Every year, as Red Ribbon Week commences, the annual flood of “wearing red doesn’t stop drug use” jokes return. Obviously, wearing red doesn’t end drug abuse, but the purpose of Red Ribbon Week is to raise awareness to a prominent issue that affects 37.4% of seniors, according to a University of Michigan study.
Although I admit I’ve probably made a similar joke in my Twitter career, I have come to realize the insensitivity and ignorance that lies within each joke, wrongfully condemning Red Ribbon Week for being useless.
According to the National Family Partnership, Red Ribbon Week was started in 1985 in honor of DEA Agent Enrique Camarena, who was tortured and murdered by a drug cartel after spending a lifetime raising awareness of the detrimental effects of drug abuse. After discovering a 2,500 acre marijuana plantation, Camarena was abducted by underhanded officers and tortured for 30 hours before dying. To commemorate Camarena and his passion, fellow agents wore red ribbons following his death, hence “Red Ribbon Week.”
The story behind this national week of awareness deserves to be heard, and it is unfortunate that schools fail to mention it. Not only does it recognize the valiant efforts of a fallen agent, it also puts a personal story behind a campaign that often seems too distant to relate to. The insensitive anti-drug posters that are strung around campus plaster a humorous facade on a serious problem. Perhaps taking Ecstasy at Homecoming won’t ruin your life, but think of the people who die dealing with the cartels, and the families who lose their loved ones fighting the illegal trade.
Thousands of people die or end up mentally handicapped because of drugs every year. Their families are permanently traumatized, yet the campaign that schools use hides the grave topic with an overly cheerful tone.
Instead of passing out wristbands that say “drug users are losers,” we should aim Red Ribbon Week towards an actual solution. The difference between the well-known Pinktober and Red Ribbon Week is that Pinktober raises awareness, initiative and essentially money to find a cure, whereas Red Ribbon Week has been pushed to a point of ridicule. The absence of the harsh reality that comes with drug abuse only serves to distance students’ views from the truth.