All of 10 years old, with a tight blond ponytail tied behind her head, Haylee Baxter handed out small bags of candy at the Red Ribbon Rally on Saturday at the Nugget Mall.

Next to her was a display of different types of drugs, brought by the Juneau Police Department as part of their efforts to educate children on drug abuse.

Some can only be found on the street, others in a typical medicine cabinet — all can be abused by those looking for a quick high. Many of the drugs displayed resembled the candy Baxter handed out. But she knows the difference. When somebody offers her drugs, Baxter said she’ll “tell them to not do it or say that I don’t want to start.”

Back for the second year after a hiatus, the Red Ribbon Rally seeks to spread the “Say no to Drugs” message. It’s back at a critical juncture in America’s fight against illicit drug use: in 2016, more Americans died of drug overdoses than in the entirety of the Vietnam War, a spike attributed to America’s opioid crisis. In February, Gov. Bill Walker declared Alaska’s opioid crisis a public health disaster, helping the state get much-needed doses of naloxone in the hands of first responders. Just this week, President Donald Trump designated the opioid crisis a National Health Emergency, a designation that doesn’t carry with it any funding toward the problem.

Juneau Police Department officer John Cryderman brought the drug display. He’s in his second year as a school resource officer, one of two such positions at JPD.

Cryderman said the opioid crisis and legalized marijuana in the state has complicated his work with children. Children may be more exposed to drug use than ever before. Marijuana edibles — often in the form of treats like brownies or cookies — look just like the sweets children crave. Kids are also picking up on how opioids have affected their relatives and community.

He said it’s important for kids to know what drugs look like and how to effectively resist peer pressure. For the police force, half of that battle is having a good relationship with the community. If kids trust and appreciate JPD, they’re more likely to come forward for help.

“It’s important that we have different ways to reach the community,” Cryderman said. “Just educating is really important so they know what to expect, what can happen in the future.”

The rally is a dance-themed event. Drill teams from Juneau-Douglas and Thunder Mountain high schools both performed. Haylee Baxter, coached by her mother Christa Baxter, danced several routines with her group from Fusion Dance Company, a Lemon Creek-based dance academy for children and adults.

Christa Baxter, Haylee’s mother and the co-owner of Fusion Dance Company, said increasing awareness is key.

“I don’t think there’s enough awareness for the younger kids in the community,” Christa Baxter said. “Participating in it and not just hearing about it is a better way to be involved.”

---

• Contact reporter Kevin Gullufsen at 523-2228 or kevin.gullufsen@juneauempire.com.

---