Throughout history, virtually every society has generated stories about deceptive deities and spirits who cause mischief among humankind. English folklore, for example, tells of "bogies" who invisibly hide behind a person, listening to his or her conversations and creating a general feeling of unease. Native Americans tell us of the crafty Coyote and the prankster Raven who play games on both humans and the gods. Even modern society has its mischievous and yet unseen entities. Take, for example, gremlins, who were believed to be behind the sabotage of Allied aircraft in the Second World War. The most discomforting fact about these and other, similarly unseen tricksters is that while their effects are readily visible, they themselves are not positively identified as the culprits because of their deceptiveness and guile.

If believers of such folklore were asked why human tragedy occurs, they might blame such calamities on the intervention of one of these metaphysical miscreants. Even today, if someone were to engage in reckless behavior, he might tell authorities that "the devil made me do it!", rather than accept personal responsibility. Adherents might even blame the problem of substance abuse on a mythological trickster, much in the same way that a slithery resident of Eden coaxed an ignorant Eve to taste of his wares. Nevertheless, excessive drug use cannot be blamed on an unseen sprite nor undone with a simple incantation. It is rooted in the ability to make ones own choices, and its counterspell is far more complex than a potion containing eye of newt. But before one embarks on undoing the work of substance abuse, one must understand the breadth of the problem. When we think of substance abuse, we often envision a crack pipe, a joint or a pill. However, there are other substances that pose an equally dangerous risk, particularly to young people, of addiction and abuse. Take, for example, tobacco: in one recent study, nearly 73,000 12-17 year-old children in Massachusetts reported using tobacco in the last month. The numbers on youth alcohol use are more unsettling than what a bogie might create: about 107,000 children of the same age reported they had used alcohol within 30 days of being interviewed.

Two of the causes of such staggering numbers do not involve an unseen spirit but, rather, are quite visible: exposure and social acceptability. For example, one cannot watch a Patriots game without seeing beer commercials. Smoking has been a fixture of popular movies since the dawn of celluloid. Parents even drink and smoke in front of their kids - such comfortable use is hardly a deterrent for young people!! What is not clearly impressed upon the public (and in particular, children) is that tobacco and alcohol are in many ways as dangerous as the "big name" drugs. For example, young people who drink are more likely to fall behind in school, suffer from depression and become violent. If they are among those 107,000 Bay State kids, they are four times as likely to abuse and become addicted to alcohol. Beyond the carcinogenic risks of tobacco use, smokers who are in between cigarette breaks demonstrate increased impairment in psychomotor and cognitive functions, become aggressive and suffer mood swings.

Fortunately, there are local resources that can help young people better understand the dangers that accompany alcohol and tobacco use and abuse. In Stoneham, the DARE program continues to help young people understand and avoid the dangers of all forms of substance abuse. The Legislature continues to fight to provide this invaluable program with the funds it needs to continue its critical activities, sending more and more boys and girls into the world with a better grasp of the risks of drugs, alcohol and tobacco. DAREs position is one that other organizations and networks could do well to emulate: substance abuse involves alcohol and tobacco in addition to illegal drugs. Study after study, all of which are readily available to everyone, support this notion. Those who conclude the contrary are being deceived and their futures sabotaged, not by some ghostly prankster or gremlin, but by themselves alone.

Rep. Paul Casey, D-Winchester, represents Stoneham in the House of Representatives. His column, "View From the Hill" can be found online at www.winchester.americantowns.com.