Will the stresses of flying, including the delays, uncomfortable seats, long lines, and the now-famous bodily (and diaper) searches put a crimp in America’s summer vacation plans?

Okay, maybe the drug problem isn’t the biggest problem in America, but tell that to the families of the four people killed in the Medford, NY drugstore robbery.

If you don’t want to be convinced you won’t be convinced. But the data tell a different story. Experimenting with drugs, even pot, is dangerous.

At the Niketown store in Boston, the window display features tee shirts on which are printed things like “Get High” and “Dope”. Boston’s mayor wants them gone.

Not all drug-related crimes happen in low socio-economic areas. My experience shows that many drug-related crimes are seriously under-reported when they occur in middle, upper-middle and even upper-class communities. That’s because the victim and the perpetrator know each other, and may even be related.

orget the millions and millions of wasted dollars on failed, or just not very successful, programs. Forget the time spent training educators in new, snazzy-sounding methods that may or may not work (and many, many of them don’t). Focus on the actual harm we may be doing to America’s kids.

Are your kids doing drugs? How do you know?

C.R. writes: Richard’s off for the day, so I’m filling in. Here’s one woman’s point of view on a disturbing trend.

British Prime Minister David Cameron has decided to join the British group mumsnet in addressing the problem of what one psychologist shockingly calls “pimping our children.”  You aren’t a prude if you’re concerned about the direction children’s videos, music, games, and clothing, have taken. You don’t even have to be a parent. We should all worry about the message that kids are getting from overtly sleazy, attracting clothing.

The wearing of alluring clothing is the norm in many segments of Western (though not world), society. Loudly announcing your sexuality and desirability through your choice of clothing is considered to be not only normal, but a valid expression of your identity and personal freedom. In fact, it has been the norm for so many years that a kind of “blindness” has set in. But it wasn’t always this way.

Should parents test their children for substance abuse at home? Actually, many already do.

Being in constant contact can skew our ability to prioritize. We can no longer recognize healthy boundaries. Our sense of self actually changes.