This year in Columbiana County, the problem of addiction and related problems like overdosing and death have been publicly viewed on social media and in the news. In mid-November, the U.S. Surgeon General released the first ever report on addiction, which clearly makes everyone aware that the problem is widespread across the nation, not just in our local communities.

In our world, children rarely have a voice. They depend on the adults in their lives to see to their needs, to make sure they are taken care of and given the life skills they will need as they grow toward adult independence as responsible, reliable good people who care for the next generation coming up under their watch, each generation feeling safe and secure. Well, that’s how it’s supposed to be, isn’t it?

Have you ever seen a child with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD)? Do you know what FASD is? What causes it?

What are you thankful for? You may want or need to think on this for a little while. There are so many negatives “out there” that we may tend to be distracted from the good things in life and not “count our blessings.”

“I wish you wouldn’t bring that up again, Mom. I’ll quit when I’m ready.” “I don’t know why I started again.” “Melissa” has concluded that there’s no point in bringing up the subject of smoking cessation to either her husband or their 20-something daughter.