Melrose Youth Attend Anti-Drug Leadership Forum

MELROSE, MA—Drug abuse and addiction has run rampant throughout the Commonwealth, and a group of Melrose youth is taking action against this epidemic.

Five Melrose students and members of the Melrose Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition attended Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America’s (CADCA) 26th Annual National Leadership Forum in Washington D.C. The forum addressed a wide variety of issues, from preventing prescription drug abuse to how to create tobacco-free environments.

“Getting to actually meet with our state representatives and talk about these problems definitely has motivated me to work harder towards this cause because if they see how us youth are trying to solve the issues in our town, then they could essentially pass laws or support laws that could greatly influence the decrease of drug usage and underage drinking in Massachusetts as a whole,” Melrose Sophomore Evynand Akombi said in a MSAC release.

The students were involved in a National Youth Leadership Initiative which helps coalition youth make plans and strategies to address problems related to substance abuse.

“The most valuable thing I am taking away from CADCA is a format for a plan to help our community,” Sophomore Lauren Freed said. “I learned that we should focus more on prevention.”

The Youth Action Team is now accepting min-grant applications for those with plans for substance-free events in the city.