I originally read this book in the 1970's as a 7th grader and found it's story to be significant even for me. Even though I was growing up in the rural Midwest, the stories of drug abuse and negative affects drove a keen message home for me. I kept the story in my mind as a reminder of WHY I SHOULD NOT USE ILLEGAL DRUGS. Now, 40+ years later, I am glad that I reread the story to remind myself that it was a good lesson. I hope that I can share this and other accounts of this type with my grandchildren and show them that the negatives are timeless and the positives are relevant for even them TODAY.