Today, as I write this, it is December.23.2001. I see three major issues which will occupy the youth arena for possibly the next ten years. They are drugs, education and youth employment. World governments, the older generation and youth themselves will be wrestling to come to terms and solutions for these wide-spread upcoming problems. Before you hit the 'Back' button out of this page, I have some surprises for you. Read on.

Drug abuse and alcoholism prevention via education programs, recovery and long-term rehabilitation are front and center. The other two issues cannot be addressed without first handling the cancerous effects of addiction. Expect a sea-change of attitude in re-modelling our current programs. Gradually illegal drugs will be legalized much like alcohol is today. Resources will be geared to education about the detrimental effects of substained use, the recovery of people only when they themselves are willing to change and long-term life maintenance programs to assist people from relapse. Once future leaders realize that when you take the 'high' from breaking the law and going outside the norm by using illegal drugs, then and only then, can we see youth abandoning the 'alternative criminal lifestyle' as being 'cool'. Watch MTV come aboard after threats of having their broadcast license pulled.

Workable techniques of education will finally come into broad acceptance by government education leaders. Tried and true methods of education like students learning at one's own speed, individualized 'practical' courses geared to the student's interest, aptitude and ability and student failure remedies ( re-train on the sections of a study the student didn't quite 'get' rather than abandon the field altogether ). After these workable techniques are implemented, the onus will be on the teachers taking responsibility for the proficiency of their students in the subject of study.

Under-employment of youth and the blatant low-wage abuse by employers hasn't reached it's pinnacle as a social welfare issue at the time of this writing but it will as the numbers of protests and youth coping-out steadily increase. "You want me to do what for how much an hour?! I'd rather stay at home with my parents and live off their pension!" Government Work for Welfare Programs will fail until the forced low-wage issue is addressed. Despite many of the older generation retiring, the jobs which can be replaced with technology won't ever come back.

Illegal use of drugs moves a person into criminal behaviour regardless if viewed as simply recreational occasional use. It simply exposes curious naive innocents into a druggy criminal element, an element adept at manipulating and sucking others into dependency. Heavy use leads to educational and health failures, refused employment and eventually criminal activity to feed their habit.

Now the good news. Once the illegal drug decriminalization takes place lock-step with emphasise on recovery and rehabilitation, despite public protest, inroads will be made substantially in reducing drug use. It won't be 'cool' anymore and the criminal underground will lose and flounder much like after Prohibition on alcohol was lifted. Drastic steps for a drastic situation.

Some governments will use war as a means of eliminating the youth under-employment problem. Some will implement the programs listed above. Oddly enough, the under-employment situation will abate naturally through the older generation dying off. AIDS will continue to 'thin the herd' across all generations.

Youth ethics and morals aren't on the horizon till after this ten year period of turmoil. By then the pitfalls of drug abuse or promiscuous sex leading to an unpotential lifetime of disease or death will become glaringly apparent.

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