Packed with students in the PAC (Performing Arts Center) and main gymnasium, former NBA star Chris Herren visited Westford Academy on Tuesday, Nov. 22, to share his recovery from substance and drug addiction that started when he was only 13 years old. “I’m not here to tell you my dreams,” Herren...

In response to the raging opioid epidemic in the United States, Massachusetts has issued an unfunded state mandate requiring schools to perform drug screenings in two grades. The screenings are not formal drug tests, but rather a series of simple questions asking students about their involvement with...

Last week, President Trump publicly declared this country's opioid epidemic a national health emergency. When unveiling his plan for combating the problem, Trump mentioned that he would launch a “a massive advertising campaign to get people, especially children, not to want to take drugs in the first...

With the recent opioid epidemic plaguing the country, Westford has kept the number of deaths caused by overdoses to a minimum. However, in 2017, the town surpassed the number of deaths that occurred in previous years, and the year is not over yet. With this information in mind, the WA Health Department has...

The legalization of marijuana for recreational use has been a growing debate around the nation, heightening since its legalization in the state of Colorado, and coming to the forefront of conversation in many states on the upcoming election day. Massachusetts is set to vote on this hot button topic...

By Tim DeLouchrey Sports Liaison Students across the country consume illegal drugs every day. It is a significant problem that is likely never going to be stopped completely. However, that does not mean that the spread of these drugs can not be slowed down. Administration knows just as well...

By Victoria Walker Business Manager “I think if you ask college kids, they’ll say 'Adderall? That’s not even a drug,'” said WA Psychology teacher Sandra Whittemore on the subject of ADHD medication abuse among students. “So many kids who aren’t your stereotypical addicts are taking it...

By Victoria Walker Business Manager Americans are coming together today, as they have so many times before, to hammer their viewpoints through the thick walls of the judicial system and into the law books. Thousands of dedicated people have invested their time and effort in the promotion of a single...

By Victoria Walker Business Manager Every few weeks, a new song comes onto the radio and stays there 24-7, playing on no less than three stations every half hour. A while back, this break-through hit was Rihanna’s “Diamonds," a poppy repetitive dance beat that topped the charts and sunk its...