Teen Suicide

As the mother of a 17-year-old son who committed suicide last year, I am outraged with state officials who have decided not to show the film “Give Yourself a Chance for Life.” They say that a suicide scene could provoke troubled teen-agers to take their own lives (Metro, April 11).

Hogwash! We need more educational films no suicide. Our precious youth today are under such stress and pressure and need desperately to be informed of where and how they can seek help. Suicide is fast becoming an epidemic and is robbing this country of one of its most precious commodities, our youth.

These kids already know about ways to commit suicide from TV, movies, books, magazines, etc. They need to be educated to the alternatives and shown that death, a permanent solution, is not the answer to their temporary problems. They need to know where they can go to get help for the pains they are suffering from at the moment. Only through education, care and love can we hope to stop this horrible and senseless tragedy.

SUE WERNER

Arcadia