Alcohol Abuse Within Native American Societies

Substance abuse is a topic most prefer not to discuss; it destroys lives, relationships and families all over the world. Native Americans seem to have suffered immensely by it. Since the coming of the Englishmen and the introduction of new knowledge and tools Native people have been trying to hold on to their own culture and their own way of life. Unfortunately with them came new items for consumption, alcohol was one of the main ingredients to the internal downfall of Native populations. Native American populations suffer greatly due to the ongoing epidemic of substance abuse and dependence; some things are being done about the problems people are having but in the end will it be enough to heal a nation? To open this paper I will look at rates of substance abuse and or dependence among Aboriginal populations. Second I will show the destructive nature in one individual, single person that suffers substance abuse can have in their life and the reasons perhaps why they choose to live as such. I will then illustrate the consequences it has for an entire family, should they remain a whole entity. Next we will look at the effects drugs and alcohol on younger generations and what ages are getting involved today. After I will show the effects of following generations, whether the children of such addict choose to continue the abuse or if they decide they want better for themselves and their own children. Lastly who is responsible for the suffering; what group of people should be held accountable for the widespread illness of substance abuse among Native peoples, and what is being done today to help those sick recover.
Statistics show a general view of specific groups of people, they do not include all and so they cannot fully show the grip that addiction takes on the Native American people. It is said that one in ten Native American deaths is alcohol related (Associated Press 2008), not a good number, but hard to really understand why. People can risk their lives every

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