In a June 7 cover story,
MSNBC.com profiled the sharp increase in the use of heroin as a result of a
recent law enforcement crackdown on prescription painkiller abuse. Much of that
story focused on the lives of a few central Ohio residents along with comments
from officials about the growing drug abuse problem not only in Ohio, but
nationwide.
Drug abuse is nothing new. But
what has gripped the USA is an insidious additive lifestyle among a growing
number of Americans. Drug abuse and related crimes, do not discriminate among
cultures, beliefs, ethnic origins, incomes or place of residence. In fact, the
story pointed out that drug abuse, particularly herioin abuse, is as prevalent
as if perhaps the young man or woman living next door to you could be a drug
abuser or former drug abuser.
What I find to perhaps be remarkable
about this situation—this long-time “breaking news story” -is that it appears
to be such an acceptable part of American culture and society. Americans not
only encourage drug abuse, we as a society support it. As a leading point of
evidence is our vast spectrum of marketing and advertising pharmaceutical drugs
– some of which are the very ones fueling America’s drug addiction. Painkillers
anyone?
A second point of evidence that
America encourages and supports the prescription drug and illicit drug abuse
culture is that government refuses to identify the matter as one of national
security. And a third point of evidence is found in the absence of Americans’
demands to really put forth a meaningful nationwide effort to severely reduce
the magnitude of the drug culture in this country. You certainly can think of
additional reasons or manners by which America supports this overreaching and
destructive drug abuse culture.
I do not have an ample answer
beyond attempting to devise and implement a strategy that seeks to develop a
new and meaningful caucus or national consciousness whose goal – perhaps
similar to eradicating or severely limiting tobacco use in this country – is to
severely reduce the scope and destructiveness of the illegal drug trade and
culture. What are your thoughts?
