Having risky sex and experimenting with drugs seems all part of the modern high school experience.

Despite decades of education about the potentially fatal consequences of unprotected sex and drug abuse, many teens are still blissfully unaware that risky behavior can kill them.

During the past decade or so, millions of dollars have gone into educating young people about the danger of HIV/AIDS. Millions more people in North America and around the world have died of the disease.
In Canada a survey revealed that approximately 66% of Grade 7 students and 52% of Grade 9 students did not know that there is no cure for HIV/AIDS.

CBC New Brunswick is trying to change that with a groundbreaking series of stories aimed at getting young people talking about the truth.

The series will profile four brave New Brunswickers who tell stories of their own youthful destruction and interview high school students, health professionals, outreach workers and other experts about how to break through the teenage sense of indestructibility.

We also want to hear from you on this subject. Why isn’t the message getting through? What will it take for young people to listen? Tell us what you think in an email, and we’ll post your responses on this site.

It Won’t Happen to Me hit the airwaves Oct. 4-8, 2004.