Recently, on the first day of school, a sixth grader was caught with marijuana edible gummy bears. Not only that, but he had been handing them out to his fellow peers, many of them unaware of the drugs inside. Many people believe there is no way, in our neighborhoods and schools, that our fellow siblings and children in Yorba Linda can be traced to such abuses, but they are mistaken. 

Teenage drug use has always been a prevalent issue in society. With narcotics becoming more and more accessible to children, the ages these kids get such substances becomes younger and younger as well. 

How the child obtained such substances is still quite unknown, but the spike in recent popularization of “drug culture” as well as its increased production and outsourcing in society can be major factors in the situation. 

Though what the child did was wrong, many, such as Ashley Payne (12), believe that “…it is not entirely his responsibility to pay the cost.” With recent political speculation on school discipline in the news, society is beginning to wonder what a rational punishment for such a situation could be. As society becomes more and more sensitive, our rationale for punishments become greater and greater. 

The child was suspended for bringing drugs onto the campus, meanwhile his counterparts still claim to have no knowledge of how their friend came into contact with the edibles. They are all still sticking to their stories of oblivion and remain with their claims that they had no idea the gummy bears had anything in them when they had been offered some. 

Schools, even in Yorba Linda, have been stereotyped by their students since their establishment; however, when a situation such as this arises, those stereotypes are rattled and put to the true test. For years, whether adults chose to believe it or not, these students have been labeled goodie two shoes, druggies, and everything in between. So, when a school such is linked with these types of students, those stereotypes shift and alter, leading to a greater conformity to the evolving social norms of the school. 

This is why many are stating that if no harsher action is taken, their children will soon be at a school riddled with drugs and end up trying to follow a curve set by the stereotypes of the students before them.  

The situation has called for much speculation on how these children are receiving such substances, as well as their punishment for doing go. How to go about this issue is a true test for both students and adults alike because the containment of such drugs is a constant issue but the most effective solution they have right now. 

The overall concern that everyone should be keeping on their minds is: how can we stop this epidemic from spreading to younger children in our community and our schools before we all become the stereotypes that society has set for us?