“Let us not forget who we are. Drug abuse is repudiation of everything America is”
-our late great president of the United States Ronald Reagan.
He saw it the then as we see it now- the drug epidemic that’s sweeping the nation and has been for decades. Addiction and alcoholism have run rampantly in human beings more than likely since the beginning of time. However, the problem with drugs these days is that they are too good now. All of the drugs that are being produced, whether naturally or chemically, they’re not the same as they were for past generations if you will. Science and technology have picked up and increased the impact of deliverance from all these substances by tenfold. Crystal Meth fifty years ago was different than meth, ice, tweak or any of the other hybrids we see today. Marijuana is stronger with medical marijuana and state legalizations spreading. I mean, bath salts and Flakka didn’t even exist back in the day. The point being conveyed here is that in a world where it seems everybody is constantly stressed or traumatized in one way or another, the numbers and casualties for addiction and alcoholism are growing rapidly. With a new president about to be elected into office- it’s interesting to take note and see what our candidates have in mind for the ever growing, never slowing drug epidemic.
The Presidential Candidates
Firstly, it would be wise to mention that personal political views will not be mentioned throughout this. I would on the other hand like to state that both Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump are notorious for lying as the facts dictate. That being said, I think it is truly impossible to know what either of them will indeed go through with. Right here we have two world class ping pong players that aren’t really sure where they stand on anything, but I digress.
The interesting thing about the two presidential candidates is that despite being in opposing parties and generally disagreeing with each other on most things, they do share some similar stances when it comes to drugs in the United States. For one, they both are on the same page of the decriminalization or legalization of marijuana. I believe this to be one of the main focus points as far as the war on drugs goes. Throughout history, our previous and current congress members and presidents have stated many different views on the nature of smoking pot. Ronald Regan and his wife were infamous for their approach on such illicit substances. Regan believed that marijuana was “probably the worst drug in America today,” Either he was misinformed, or times have definitely taken a turn for the worst since the 1980s.
Both Hilary and Donald are on the same page. The guy states loudly, “drug enforcement is a joke”- that’s to say the least. They both have put it, in different words of course, that the drug epidemic is taking its toll as thousands lose their lives every day to it and nothing is really changing. Well, nothing changes if nothing changes. What’s changing, however, is marijuana. Weed is something that is drastically becoming more socially acceptable in the general population. They have both fallen under the category of idea to cautiously start the use of medical marijuana and legalization to fight the war on drugs. Unfortunately, the pharmaceutical companies are the bane of existence for many addicts and alcoholics. Legalizing marijuana will help allow access to something less destructive than things such as opiates or benzos. No, this will not necessarily solve any issues for those of us battling the disease of addiction or alcoholic thinking, but it will slow a lot of active users down.
I will personally say that I respect/appreciate Hillary’s approach and proposals she has put forward. Daddy Warbucks over here has more or less mimicked a lot of things she’s said and clearly not put too much time into it. As with his ping-ponging mentioned earlier, Trump was quoted in the 1990s stating that he believed all drugs should be legalized to take power away from the drug lords and czars. Flash forward 20+ years and his statement is not of the same regards. He thinks we should still study the idea but not do it anytime relatively soon. One fact that few know is that Donald had a brother die to Alcoholism a few decades back. Oddly enough, he still doesn’t seem to put too much thought into the matter- or so it seems. Then we have the Queen Bee and her views. She has created some blueprints for ideas to deal with addiction and alcoholism such as $10 Billion being dosed out to the fifty states for implementing treatment programs that can be accessible to all. She goes on to state that she is well aware of the rise of opiates leading to heroin addiction and the drug epidemic it’s causing. This sum of money would be to offer help to those when they are ready to seek it, and to as well push the marijuana laws so there will be less prescribing of pharmaceuticals.
Another thing that Lady Clinton had gone into was the wrongful imprisonment of addicts and alcoholics all over the country. It’s no surprise that our country leads the world in most incarcerated peoples. She recognizes drug addiction as more of a health issue and not something to necessarily be punished. There are too many non-violent low-level offenses that are overcrowding the prisons across the country and she notes that some changes need to be made in that department as well. Overall from a non-biased point of view, Hillary has more to offer on the subject material. As for what’s to follow, well only time will show after this upcoming couple of weeks.
President the Least of Your Worries?
Some of us have been battling this disease for far too long and are just beaten down and broken. It takes up every aspect of your life in the blink of an eye and you’re left with an empty bank account and an overloaded amount of discomfort. If you or a loved one is struggling with chemical dependency and are ready for help, please call 1-844-489-0836 or visit www.firststepsrecovery.com. We are ready to give you any suggestions possible and set you or your loved one on a path that we can all be proud of.