What can we do about our terrible drug problems?

[ladyfaith]

I live in a very small town. On just about any given day I can go out to town or to the next town over from me and see people who have let drugs take over their lives. Just last night, I was at a Walmart that is about 25 minutes from where I live. I saw a young couple, probably in their mid to late 20's. The guy was so stoned he could barely walk and the girl just kept rubbing his face and eyes to try to get him moving enough to actually walk in the store. They stopped in front of the store and smoked and even bought a soda from the machine to try to get this guy to where he could function. Neither of these things seemed to help. So, then my jaw hit the floor of my Lincoln Town Car when I saw her take a pill out of her purse and give it to him. Amazingly he perked right up and they finally strolled into Walmart.
This all took place over about 15 minutes while I was waiting in the car for my husband to come out. I was not close enough to tell what the pill was, it could have been a Tylenol for all I know, but it did seem odd that she just reached down in her purse and did not have to bring out a bottle to get it out of. I just hope that someone in Walmart noticed something odd about them and called security. I don't mean to write an entire novel here, but it just burns me up that you cannot even go to a family oriented store like Walmart without seeing this junk go on. I'm just really glad my kids weren't with me. So, what can we do to stop this? How can we convince those who abuse drugs that they are sending their lives down the drain?

[Darthaneon]

I’m also seeing a lot of this on our mall. I think that it would be hard to convince them since they grew up on doing this. We can try to turn them in the right direction by advising them the good things that are waiting for them if they don’t take drugs like mentioning that it would be better for their health if they aren’t taking this but I really think that it is best that we stay away from them because we don’t really know what they are capable of doing.

[lgullett]

Well the first thing you can do ladyfaith is get involved. I would have called security from my cell phone, or if I did not have a cell phone, got out and casually walk inside to get security. I feel a duty to help the public if I know of something like this going on around innocent people. I would feel horrible if the person hurt someone, or got hurt, because I did nothing. I think we should all feel that way, and help if we can. I call it helping someone because obviously they are not taking proper care of themselves.

This past week I watched a news program about a woman that was kidnapped in Florida. Three men who saw there was an obvious problem where a woman was in trouble did absolutely nothing to try to help her. Then a woman on the road noticed there was a problem in a nearby car that the kidnapped woman was in, and called 911. She did not know what was going on, but was just being a good semaritan. She at least did call, but did not try to follow the car (which I would have done). Anyway at the end of the day she was kidnapped, driven around while bound up in the back seat for about 7 hours before being raped, shot, and buried, probably a few minutes after that last woman on the road called 911. Now her two babies and husband are left without her. It is so painful to think those guys did nothing at all.

We all have to be careful in protecting our safety when dealing with strangers, whether they are drunk or high, but we should try to be creative in doing something more than nothing.

[Andy]

It starts early when they are young kids. We need to educate them really well on the dangers and also what the alternatives are. Seems to me we stress a lot about the dangers of drugs but don't give to many alternatives

[Naphtali]

The drug problems started decades ago and it still can't be fixed. We can try talking to our kids about drugs but kids think they know so much more than we do. It's hard to get through to them. Then there is the problem of movie stars, movies and television. The entertainment media shows drug usage so much that the teens think that there is nothing wrong with drugs. And how about other adults who use it and try to get drugs legalized for everyday use not just for medical use.

Drug use is glorifies all over and has been for many years. I don't know what can be done at this point.

[Brandbla8]

There are such a wide range of drugs out there today that it is impossible to understand the scope of things. Not only are they abusing illegal drugs, but also prescription drugs as well. I know of most people in the state I live in almost every family has had someone to fall victim to drugs. Some make it out alive and others do not. With the prescription drug problem, I have seen first hand how they are just handed out like candy to anyone who goes to your local emergency room. I am hoping we can get a handle on these problems, but have been going on for far too long now that the problem seems to be to vast.

[dialge]

Fixate yourself on the media. Take opportunities to assist with the roundups when they are published to the public.

I am in a small town and I TOO have drug related [harm] going on in my immediate family.

[lineil]

I think, one of the ways of solving drug problems in our society is to be a role model yourself. You can teach them to go away from drugs if they will see you not doing it. Another thing is to educate our children, nephews and nieces what are the effects of drugs for them to realize that being on drugs will not do them any good at all.

[guru]

Youth who are involved with drug issues are increasing worldwide. I guess parents should also take time to check on their child's activities before anything will get worse. It should be stopped at home before it gets out of the society and pose danger.