| I
left Indonesia in 1998, when I was in
11th grade, for the United States to continue
my high school for another year and
10 months.
When I compared my high
school in the US and the one in Surabaya, there are many
differences. In the US, I could choose what subjects I
wanted to study (although not many are available). But
there is one very important thing that exists well in
the US high schools, but doesn't in Indonesia. It is the
anti drug campaign.
I could see anti drug
campaigns everywhere here but none in my old high
school. I saw a sign about as big as a 20" TV that
said about an offer from the local authority. The offer
said that the local authority (I wasn't sure if it was
from the school or the police) would give $500 for
anyone who could lead the local authority to catch any
distribution, selling or buying of drugs. Also, there
was a mandatory class that taught me everything about
drugs, of course excluding where to get them. It taught
me the street name, how they looked like, what can they
do to us when we are 'high', and ultimately what damages
can they do to us. The class also had a videotape of car
accident victims involving alcohol and drugs. The
30-minute video made me sick, and when I thought that
those victims were real not just Hollywood special
effects, that made me even more happy sick. And that
class was not just a two-hour class, but it was for the
whole semester. It also taught me about STDs.
Maybe we don't need to
have that kind of program in Indonesia. But do we need
such a mandatory class in Indonesia? Before I went to
the class, I wouldn't know what marijuana could actually
do to me. Before I went to the class this was what I
thought, "Yeah, of course I know it is bad, but it
isn't THAT bad?" Well after that I knew pretty much
about those stuffs. Also the video made me to think
again, again, and again whenever I had a chance to drink
even though I live and work where a lot of people are
used to get drunk.
Perhaps a class would
not be enough. The US has anti drug campaign on TV. I
remember one actor (I think it was Michael J. Fox) gave
a message about anti drug right after the TV show that
he was on. He said that drug was not cool (of course, it
ain't cool!). But that class can be the starting point.
If we can make somehow the government to force all
schools to have maybe just 30 minute class every week
discussing about drugs, it will be a good starting
point.
Now, after I came to
the US, I went back to Surabaya in 1999, and I did not
see any of those anti drug campaign on TV nor posters or
any magazine. Well, maybe there are some, but those
aren't enough. I don't know what the situation right
now. But it is almost certain that, from stories I heard
and read from friends and Indonesian newspapers, a lot
of young people use narcotics.
I hope things have
changed, or started to change, or at least it would
change someday in my life. But changes almost never
occur without external stimulation or constant
improvements.
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