Proper penalties can curtail bullies

We do have a bullying problem in Pasco, but bullying can be stopped or very nearly stopped.

First offense will require a meeting with the parents of the accused and the principal. The consequence will be a two-day in-school suspension. Second offense will require another meeting with the parents and the principal and would result in five days out-of-school suspension.

Third offense will require another meeting with the principal and the bully would be expelled from that particular school, but not the district. This would result in the parents being responsible for getting their child to the assigned school without transportation. This will also apply to bullying in school, off school grounds, Facebook, text messaging or any other type of communication.

Joe Fratto, Hudson

Blame misplaced for kids' decisions | June 14 letter

Store owner has a responsibility, too

In response to the statement about Jake's parents (me) being so quick to blame the store owners for selling spice, let me be clear. The store is fully responsible for selling synthetic marijuana to a child. The law has an age requirement to purchase it, 18. Jake is not 18. There are laws out there that are supposed to protect our young people. You have to be 21 to purchase alcohol, you have to be 18 to purchase tobacco and 18 to purchase synthetic marijuana.

The store is selling poison to kids. Alcohol is regulated, tobacco is regulated, synthetic marijuana is not. The manufacturers are skirting the law by calling it incense, not for human consumption. They know full well kids are smoking it. You simply need to pull up their social media pages to confirm this.

Teens are smoking spice because it is available in virtually every corner store. Teens are smoking it because it is legal, and if it's legal it can't be that harmful, correct? A boy's brain does not fully develop reasoning skills until age 25. They have to rely on our community to help make good decisions. A local, family-owned store is part of the community, therefore it should protect the children.

Colleen Suojanen, New Port Richey

Think before you (misplace) blame

I was aghast at the letter writer's opinion on this scary subject. It sounds like he's not aware of a teenager's mind-set when it comes to being curious and believing "this-won't-happen-to-me'' attitude and the writer also doesn't fully understand this synthetic drug is loaded with chemicals that can, and do, produce unnatural effects and serious harm in the body and mind.

Yes, alcohol and cigarettes are legal, but there are strict restrictions and warnings that should prevent teens from getting their hands on it easily. There are age limits for a reason. By 18, a person should be able to make a better decision before using these destructive products. But, there is no law preventing a teen from getting their hands on it way too easily. There also is deception in selling this drug. The store owner sells it as potpourri.

In this case, it is up to the government and the adults in charge, shop owners included, to stop this unfathomable practice. Children have been harmed and even died. Please do some research, and do some good, before you misplace your perception of blame.

N. Galasso, Holiday