By the grace of God and education about addiction in therapy as a teen I escaped substance addiction.  If we want to educate children we can keep sex education that they are comfortable with and consent to.

When they say they are uncomfortable, we MUST stop talking and sharing.

Children are entitled to boundaries.

What could save lives?  Adding education about how trauma and addiction connect. This way even if they never find the words to say what they feel or never happen upon a safe adult, maybe the education around how addiction could further harm them rather than offering the relief that they are seeking from pain-could save their lives. And others too. 

Additionally, leaders and policy makers need more education before making policies like “war on drugs”, which, let’s be honest is really a policy on certain people. We have people still serving extended sentences for marijuana charges while others who harmed children are walking around free.