Although drug & alcohol abuse can be relatively classless, social deprivation, unemployment & poverty are said to contribute strongly. If everyone had a job, decent housing & a hope full future, would there be an end to drug & alcohol abuse?
The word “drug” is used to mean different things. It can mean “medicine”, “legal drug” or “illegal drug”. Not all drugs are medicines! There are 4 main groups of drugs. Medicines, drugs people take openly, legal drugs people often hide & illegal drugs. Beer & wine contain a drug called alcohol. Tea & coffee contain caffeine & cigarettes contain nicotine. The people who take these are not usually ill, they just take them.
Do you think all the publicity given to drugs & alcohol merely encourages youngsters to try them? Children brought up by parents who abuse drugs & alcohol come to think of it as nothing out of the ordinary & later use it themselves.
Support for addicts & their families is vital if they are to avoid joining the growing number of homeless addicts. The role of experienced counsellors is crucial for the addict & the families.
Why do people take drugs or drink alcohol? People who take drugs that are not medicine often then do because they like the way these drugs make them feel or want to know what it feels like to try. Alcohol is a drug on it’s own that can make people severely depressed & is the main cause of violence in society.
Is prison the most suitable way of dealing with addicts? What do you think would be achieved by sending addicts to prison? An increased number of police officers will have minimal effect. As long as there are enormous profits to be made in drug dealing & alcohol sales & as long as the market is there, people will find more & more sophisticated means of smuggling drugs & selling alcohol.
Prevention is better than cure. The need to educate people about the dangers of drug & alcohol abuse has never been greater.