LET'S CREATE DRUG FREE CITIES
Unfortunately, with the drug abuse problem the way it is in this country, one could almost take any city and write the same story – too many drugs and not enough resources to handle it. There are lots of good ideas floating around and even one city in Massachusetts that is forming a high school for drug abusers. However, we don’t have a model yet, that is proven to work. The challenge is being made for one city, any city, to step up and really decide that they are going to address their drug problem utilizing all resources. Studies would have to be done concurrent to discover what works and doesn’t work, so no money is wasted. However, there could be a program from top to bottom. In other words, from legislation, to schools, to rehab and community services – every facet would need to be covered.
Once a model is created, it could be exported to other cities. The solution could become much bigger than the problem, no matter the vested interests and epidemic drug addiction could be a thing of the past. Here is what one city is doing – it is a piece of a puzzle, but not quite complete enough.
Steve Davis, is Lancaster county is declaring war on opiate abuse in his area. The county commissioner stated:
“We’re asking the sheriff for enforcement ideas,” he said. “I’ve asked juvenile (court) judge Steve Williams how we could better address the problem from the juvenile court standpoint and we’ve asked Job and Family Services what we can do to stem the tide of addiction.”
Saying the commission must do all it can to fight opiate drug abuse, he said the commissioners will give a higher priority to the drug problem when devising the 2012 budget.
“Sometimes you hear people say that we have to decide between the sheriff’s office and Job and Family Services,” Davis said. “But there are other choices, too. We can do our level best to fund both of those organizations and make cuts elsewhere.””
The ideal treatment for any city could be Narconon drug and alcohol treatment. It has been found to work effectively for many people.
Narconon drug rehab and education, along with smart legislation, could turn any city around – no doubt.