March 14, 2006
Tuesday

There have been many letters here lately concerning the drug "problem" I must commend Ken Lewis for bringing up the point that when society talks about drugs, they point the finger at the kids. Numerous studies have been done about drug use among different age groups and the results are quite astonishing. Adults are far more likely to abuse drugs than teenagers. I will not quote exact figures and studies here, but will be more than glad to send them to anyone that feels they need the proof.

I do think that we also need to understand that the opinion of the older generation towards the younger generation s music and dress is usually quite the same. Come on, the baby boomer generation got told to cut their hair and that their music was crap too. I understand that some music now days can be found quite distasteful but we need to understand that history repeats itself and that most of us liked things when we were younger that our parents absolutely hated. I just ask that people do not forget what it is like when you are young in that position. Also if you let your kids know that you hate what they wear or listen to, than they will be far more likely to continue the behavior.

I'm young (23) but I have tried to pay a little bit of attention over time and have learned a bit about life being that I was never around younger people for a good part of my life. But getting back to the drug "problem", has no one noticed over the years that the war on drugs is a joke that had cost us an enormous sum of money? Imagine what that money could have done for the poor people in this country? Also, is it not proven that people are going to do drugs no matter what anyway? I think that society needs to admit to this fact and go towards regulation not prohibition.

If a person gets addicted to drugs they do so because they chose to do them. I know that the pressures of life leave people down, but regardless, that person made their choice.
Also it seems that less people would die from drug related cases because those drugs that they did take would be clean, not cut with household chemicals or worse. Let us also not forget the crime that is constantly associated with drugs. The problem isn't the drug but the regulation! If drugs were regulated by the government than the middle men of the drug world would be cut out of the deal. Drug cartels would be abolished because cheaper, safer, regulated drugs would be available. The other crime such as theft to support a habit would decrease as well.

I also must comment on drug education in this country. Bottom line, D.A.R.E. does not work!! Every person that I grew up with went through the D.A.R.E. program and they all did drugs either during the program or after. It might work for some, but the majority that I have talked to said that the program actually taught them more about drugs and made them curious!

I realize that many people feel strongly about the issue and also many peoples religion prohibits them from doing them. I am not trying to say we should all start doing drugs. We just need to realize as a country that the approach we are using is not working and has never worked. We must put our differences aside and come up with a better solution that we can all tolerate. Prohibition of alcohol alone started the worst crime spree that the country has seen. Plus remember what I said about kids doing what their parents hate? Maybe if we regulated drugs than doing drugs wouldn't seem like the rebellious thing to do? I value every person's opinion in this matter. No one person's opinion should be left unheard as this country tries to come up with a better solution.

Samantha Sizemore
Ketchikan, AK - USA

About: Samantha Sizemore moved to Ketchikan a year ago after graduating college. She works in the seafood industry.

Related Viewpoint:

Drug problem trickles down By Ken Lewis - Ketchikan, AK - USA

 

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