Passaic Preparatory Academy held an assembly on drug prevention and treatment on Nov. 20 in the Prep auditorium during Period 1. 

Sherri Grier, the school district’s Student Assistant Counselor (SAC), was the guest speaker. Her position is to oversee drug prevention and treatment for high school students. She informed students on the Substance Abuse Policy in N.J. schools. Grier touched on the effects and the consequences of smoking, vaping and alcohol use. She also explained the procedure of when a teacher or staff member suspects a student of being under the influence of drugs or alcohol. 

If a student is suspected of being under the influence, he/she will be taken to the nurse, who will check the student’s vital statistics. The student’s guidance counselor would then send the student to a doctor to be tested for drugs and alcohol. If the test comes out to be positive, the student will be sent to a program to get treatment. If a student refuses to take a test, a positive outcome will be assumed. If the student fails to attend their program, they will be discharged from the program and won’t be allowed to attend school until they have enrolled themselves into another program and seek help.