Red Ribbon Week to raise drug abuse awareness

Photo+illustration+by+Josh+Collins+

Photo illustration by Josh Collins

Red Ribbon Week will be the week of Nov. 4 to Nov. 8.

The dress-up days include Hat Day on Monday, Jersey Day on Tuesday, Crazy Sock Day on Wednesday, Backwards Day on Thursday and Red Day on Friday.

“Red Ribbon Week began after murder of DEA agent Enrique Camarena in 1985,” said Trevor Glenn, head of student council DASH committee. “Camarena had been working undercover in Guadalajara, Mexico and his efforts led to a tip that resulted in the discovery of a multimillion dollar narcotics operation in Chihuahua, Mexico. He and his pilot were found murdered, and after citizens in Camarena’s hometown of Calexico, California wore red ribbons in his honor. The ribbons became a symbol for the prevention of illegal drug use.”

Since then, the campaign has grown into a nation-wide service effort in which approximately 80 million people participate in every year.

“CHS participates in it because we feel it is important to inform the students that their use of illegal drugs has consequences that not only affect them but others as well,” Glenn said. “While these dress-up days are fun, we want to get the seriousness of the message across and will make announcements during activity period about certain drug statistics so the students will understand what this week is really about.”