America has tried to be drug free for decades, but the problem seems to be getting worse. America is working hard to be drug free and become the safest place on earth to live.
Working On a Drug Free America
People start taking drugs for many reasons. Some people get addicted to drugs unknowingly or unwillingly, and others run to drugs. The reasons for these situations vary, but you will find that most of the reasons are similar to ones you may have heard. Schools and workplaces in the United States have been putting a lot of effort into ensuring that students and employees stay drug free.
Drug Free School Zones
In past years, schools in America created the D.A.R.E. program to inform children about drugs and keep them away from them. D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education), is a program that focuses on children in grades six through eight. Volunteers for this program passed out drug free posters and had catchy drug free slogans to help children understand why they should stay away from drugs. The D.A.R.E. program helps children create drug free communities. One popular celebration for children through this program is a drug free week. During this week, children learn about drugs, the effect they have on the body, and what to do if they are offered drugs or knows someone who is doing drugs. The D.A.R.E. program comes up with many drug free slogans for kids to make learning fun and create an easy way for children to remember the facts about drug abuse.
Drug Free Workplaces
Almost every workplace has a drug free workplace policy. The Drug Free Workplace Act of 1988 in the Unites States guarantees that federal contractors will ensure their workplace is drug-free. Drugs have become an increasing problem in the United States. Many jobs drug test potential employees before they hire them and conduct random drug tests after they are hired. If an employee’s drug test returns positive for drugs, some employers offer free drug rehab and a free drug test every so often to help a person get back on the right track and remain drug free. This is one way to start the making of a drug free world.
Why Do People Try Drugs?
Many people decide to give different drugs a try because they are going through a rough time in their life, such as experiencing a death of a friend or loved one, financial stress, or stress in general. Sometimes talking about the things that are bothering them is not enough, so discussing things with a relative or friend may not suffice. Even professional help may not do the trick. A lot of the time, people feel as if they do not need help, but most of the time, people do not have anyone they can turn to for help or talk things out with, so the overwhelming feeling takes over and drugs seems like a way out for them.
Following the Crowd
Even though people know the effects that drugs have on the human body, they still decide to try the drug, most of which falls in the category of following the crowd. Peer pressure is real and many people succumb to it. Everyone is not able to perform under pressure, and the last words they can speak to someone else is “no”. Due to peer pressure and wanting to fit in with the crowd to be “cool”, they experiment with drugs, even though there is a chance they could die or become addicted.
The influence of family is similar to peer pressure, but it’s stronger. Family is people you have grown up with and people who you are around the majority of your life. It’s easy for their habits to become your own. When you are a child, you hold your parents on a pedestal. If they are doing drugs, it naturally seems like the right thing to do. Even when you grow up and learn the effects of drugs, it’s hard to reprogram your mind to think differently. If another adult does not intervene in a reasonable amount of time, your thinking may be set this way for the rest of your life.
How to Help People Who Are Addicted to Drugs
Some people who are addicted to drugs may want help, but have no way of receiving it. Other people who are on drugs knows that it destroys their body, but need guidance. Instead of watching, there are things you can do to help.
- Offer to Listen– Listening to a person’s life story goes further than you know. You never know the road a person travels until you take the time to listen. Sit down and talk to someone you know who is on drugs and let them tell you their story. Talking is a great relief for stress. Once they tell you their story, ask about their current drug use. Many drug users are open to talking to almost anyone about their addiction, but you may not want to start the conversation off too personal.
- Offer to Help Them Seek Help– Sometimes all a person needs is someone to lead the way. Everyone is not a leader, so you be a leader, and let them follow. A lot of the time, people who are addicted to drugs want to seek counseling and other forms of help, but they do not have the money, and they don’t know where to start. In this situation, offer to help them. You don’t have to pay for their rehab, but you can put them on the right track and offer names and phone numbers of people who can help.
- Intervention –An intervention is, usually, the best way to be straightforward and open a can of worms, but sometimes, there is no other way to offer help. Some people who are addicted to drugs don’t want help, and they won’t accept it unless they are forced. In this situation, an intervention takes place when a person who is an addict has no way around receiving treatment. A person’s family is present, and they express how they feel about their loved one being on drugs and how it has affected their lives. A lot of the time, people break down and accept the help because they never took the time to realize what their drug use was doing to their family. In other instances, people do not want help and refuse, but the intervention does not work out in their favor, and they end up receiving treatment and in the end, enjoy feeling healthy and being drug free.
The United State’s fight on drugs is nowhere near over, but this is a place we can start and decrease the number of people who use drugs. America is working one person at a time to end the war on drugs. The desired results will not occur overnight, but over the years, progress is being made. There are many different drugs that are appearing, but with time, they too will be handled. When drugs are overcome, can live their lives drug free, and enjoy everything they have worked hard for without worrying about crimes committed due to drugs.