Say "Cheese" (Actually -- Please Don't!)

Here is a frightening revelation about the mentality of our American kids. I came across this article today while doing my daily "dog crawl" across the Net looking for doggy pizza recipes...

Middle schoolers acknowledge 'cheese'

"Cheese" is not only dangerous. It's cheap. About $2 for a single hit
and as little as $10 per gram. The drug can be snorted with a straw or through a
ballpoint pen, authorities say. It causes drowsiness and lethargy, as well as
euphoria, excessive thirst and disorientation. That is, if the user survives.
(Interactive: What is "cheese"? )

Authorities aren't exactly sure how the drug got its name "cheese."
It's most likely because the ground-up, tan substance looks like Parmesan
cheese. The other theory is it's shorthand for the Spanish word "chiva," which
is street slang for heroin.

By using the name "cheese," drug dealers are marketing the low-grade
heroin to a younger crowd -- many of them middle schoolers -- unaware of its
potential dangers, authorities say.

"These are street dealers, dope dealers," Moncibais recently warned
students at Sam Tasby Middle School. "They give you a lethal dose. What do they
care?"

Moncibais then asked how many students knew a "cheese" user. Just about
everyone in the auditorium raised a hand. At one point, when he mentioned that
the United States has the highest rate of drug users in the world, the middle
schoolers cheered. (Watch middle schoolers raise hands, admit they know drug users ) "You know, I know being No. 1 is important, but being the No. 1 dopeheads in the world, I don't know whether [that] bears applause," Moncibais shot back.

Authorities say the number of arrests involving possession of "cheese" in
the Dallas area this school year was 146, up from about 90 the year before.
School is out for the summer, and authorities fear that the students, with more
time on their hands, could turn to the drug.

I was saddened to see the kids so excited by our status as #1 drug users in the world. Have we somehow given our children so little self worth that being dope-heads is appealing as long as we have the MOST in our population? This is why I am excited about the new efforts of bands like "Blinded by View" and the music efforts of a living Dakini to cast a whole new net of compassionate activity. If we think this is not a tragedy happening right under our noses... wait til enough kids die from snorting cheese up their noses!

Let's all wake up and protect our children. You know what we dogs do if someone tries to jeopardize our pups? We bear our teeth and protect our young! It is not about violence... it is about compassion. You don't have to be cruel to get the attention of those threatening our youth, but you do have to be strong and brave!

Love ya'll like I love a cheese pizza... but keep that other cheese away from our babies!!!

Love,

Joy Beagle