Drug Addiction In Winter's Bone By Daniel Woodrell

The issue of drug addiction has been scorching the nation for years. It is a serious issue that users and even friends of users may be aware of but do not take seriously. Thousands of people die every year from drug addiction and some don’t even get a chance to get help. In a society where many teenagers are carelessly smoking marijuana by choice and then moving on to more “hardcore” drugs, the brewing questions become: Because it was their choice to start, should we care about their addiction? Should we spend our time on getting them help? Are they criminals for buying and using illegal drugs or are they just victims of their own crime? Arguments can be made either way, but why spend time arguing when we can help instead? No, addicts are not
criminals. Yes, they are making illegal choices but at some point it is because the addiction has taken over. Addicts are victims of their own wrongdoing and instead of giving them consequences we need to care about and help them. A journalist David Sheff lost his son due to a drug addiction and was unable to see anything coming. His son “Nic began using marijuana and alcohol at the age of 12, then heroin and crystal meth” (Rolfes). Sheff described that his son had “transformed from an intelligent student and athlete into an addict living on the streets” (Rolfes). He stated that his son was dealing with a “serious disease” and it was too late for him to not only find him treatment, but to keep him alive as well.
What happened to Sheff’s son could happen to anyone. Drug addiction does not only happen to the “bad” kid. As described, his son was a smart and athletic student that made one bad mistake when he was young. Sheff’s son did not realize how big of a mistake he was making and neither did Sheff until it was too late.
While lots of people can be stubborn on the topic and not care at all about addicts, we should.
It’s so easy to say things like “it’s their fault why should we care?” and just blow off the subject. In Winter’s Bone by Daniel Woodrell, everyone in the town knew there was lots of meth and there were lots of people cooking it. They knew how to get it, where to get it, and who was cooking it. No one really cared much about the fact that they were dealing with illegal drugs. Even the police knew about the issue in the town but not much was done to stop it. Imagine what the world would be like today if no one cared about the drugs that are in our own society and just let it
happen.
Although people say we do care about the issue and we lock those addicts up in jail when caught associating themselves with illegal drugs, that is the wrong way to approach it. “Among 1,821 adults polled, two-thirds now say drug abusers need access to treatment rather than jail time… Jail time doesn’t help drugs users overcome their problem. Instead, it means taxpayers pay the price for the incarceration and the health costs related to the addiction as well as for the criminal activity they are likely to return to after release” (Sack). Society's quick fix for addicts does not address the problem nor even come close to resolving it. In actuality it is a punishment for both the addict and the society. While the addict is locked up in jail, the society is paying tax money for them to just sit there will a very small chance of getting help.
If the society has to pay taxes regardless, then why not send that money to pay for treatment for addicts rather than paying for them to sit in jail. “Of those incarcerated, only about 10 percent will receive treatment” (Sack). Drug rehab insures that the addicts will be getting help to get better rather than being in jail and having treatment be a possibility for them, but not a guarantee. Rehab also provides the addict with finding some alternative solutions to their everyday problems. “Kids who have drugs problems often use drugs as a way to alleviate stress and otherwise help them cope with stressful lives” (Rolfes).
Lots of drug addicts start when they are teens for many different reasons. Reasons as simple as just being stressed out in life. Rehab is an option that can help addicts cope with their problems in healthier ways rather than turning to drugs to relax them.
It doesn’t matter what problems the addict has in life, rehab can help find a solution. Drug treatment allows addicts to meet other addicts and hear someone else’s story and for some it can make them realize their life isn't as bad as they thought. Treatment also helps addicts find alternative solutions to being angry or stressed out. It can help them find a relaxing hobby or just things they like and are interested in instead of dealing with drugs.
It all starts with one bad decision. Becoming a drug addict happens when someone makes one mistake and it then changes their life. For all the possible reasons it could be for why they started using, it doesn’t matter. All addicts should get treatment for their addiction, not jail time. While addicts have made an illegal mistake, they are not criminals. They are indeed victims. Someone does not have to have had someone do something to them to become a victim. Drug addicts are victims of their own bad decisions and wrongdoing and it is our responsibility as good humans to try as much as we can to get them treatment and not only better the addict,
but better our society as well.