Substance Abuse Month was held in Falcon Square on November 21 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. It was presented by the Cerritos College Student Health Services.

The main goal was to help people become aware of the assistance available to them when coming to terms with their problems.

Cerritos College Health Care Practitioner Charles Gale reminds people that it not only dealt with substance abuse, but also with a variety of chronic disorders such as diabetes, or blood pressure problems.

Community Health Agencies set up booths in Falcon Square where they passed out informative pamphlets and such to the students.

Provided were free blood pressure screenings, glucose screenings (a check for possible diabetes) and a body composition analysis (body fat) which seems to be the most popular one according to Gale.

The health agencies present included the Southern California Alcohol and Drug Program, the Los Angeles Center for Alcohol and Drug Abuse, the Sexual Assault Crisis Agency, the American Cancer Society, and the Community Outreach Specialist.

Cerritos College student, Jeremy Hill, thinks that the event was a very smart idea. “I got a back massage from a SCU representative and it was awesome. I didn’t realize I was so tense,” said Hill.

The Southern California University of Health Services presented students with free massages and information pamphlets welcoming them to their school. The SCU booth seemed to be getting the most attention. Gale reminds us that people are responsible for their own life choices. If they want to succeed, they must simply want and act upon it.