'Tween 12 and 20 by Dr. Robert Wallace

DR. WALLACE: I do a lot of reading because I've got a lot of time on my hands. I'm an inmate in the Florida prison system and an avid reader of your column. Recently, a boy wrote to you saying he didn't see anything wrong with smoking marijuana. Well, when I was a teenager I felt the same way. I enjoyed smoking pot, but after a while I wanted something with a little stronger kick and that led me to LSD and finally to cocaine and crack cocaine. As I sit here in my cell, I can honestly say that all of my problems started the day I took my first drag from a marijuana cigarette. I was a good student athlete, but once I got involved with drugs, my grades slipped and I stopped playing sports. I also started hanging around with a crowd that was drug-oriented.

 

Drugs are expensive and to support my habit and the habit of my girlfriend, I turned to a life of crime. At first it was petty theft and eventually it led to burglary and armed robbery. I was fortunate that no one was seriously injured by my stupid behavior. I believe I have turned my life around for the better. I'll know for sure when I'm released, but that won't be for quite some time.

 

To all those teens out there who think that smoking pot and taking drugs is cool, please remember this letter. Being cool is being drug-free. If only I had listened to my teachers and my parents, I would have wound up at Penn State instead of the state pen. - Nameless, Florida Prison System.

 

NAMELESS: Thanks for sharing your troubled past with us.

Reaching out to others is part of the process of redemption. I wish you the best of luck. Certainly, your words serve as a warning to anyone who thinks drugs are a risk-free shortcut to happiness.

 

MY BEAUTIFUL COMPLEXION IS GONE

 

DR. WALLACE: I am 16 years old and, until a few weeks ago, I had a beautiful, clear complexion. Now I have three red bumps, one on my chin and two on my forehead. They hurt when I touch them, but they don't appear to be pimples. I'm concerned because I'm going to be a bridesmaid in my cousin's wedding in two months and I don't want to look like I've got hives or some disease. I tasted alcohol for the first time a week ago. Could that have triggered the bumps? Please tell me how I can get rid of them. - Nameless, Moncton, New Brunswick.

 

NAMELESS: The alcohol you consumed almost certainly did not cause the red bumps. Whatever they are, your best bet is to make an appointment with a dermatologist. This professional will give you a complete analysis of your skin problem and tell you how to eliminate the bumps, as well as keep more from appearing.

 

I hope your taste of alcohol was just a one-time try. While wine, beer, and liquor are not implicated in skin problems, they can certainly wreak far more havoc on a person's life.

 

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at rwallace@galesburg.net. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

 

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