It is a movement signified with a red ribbon, but it may not be one that gets as much attention as some of its multicolored proverbial brothers and sisters.

National Red Ribbon Week concluded Saturday, an effort that put the focus on educating youth about the importance of living drug-free and alcohol-free.

This is certainly an important initiative here locally, where abuse becomes a systematic and generational pattern, and one that the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office and other agencies should be commended for taking on.

Red Ribbon Week doesn’t get near the attention that Breast Cancer Awareness does with its pink ribbons and domestic violence awareness with the purple variety does.

But that makes it no less important in our communities.

In fact, addressing drug and alcohol to our youth may help reduce other problems that plague our society.

The sheriff’s office even took it a step farther by including educational efforts focused on bullying and gun safety, both of which are timely and vitally important to the safety and well-being of our children.

Growing up in today’s culture poses a host of challenges, many of which were unheard of 20, 10 and even five years ago.

Annual efforts like this are a good step in the right direction, but only if they are the first step.

This problem won’t be fixed in a week and it will not go away.