Satire On Drugs

In a perfect world, eliminating the demand for illegal substances would unilaterally resolve the drug problem eventually, although in the short run we would still have the challenge of releasing the addicted from the grips of their habits. Absent demand, the impetus for the drug trade -- profit -- would disappear. So, too, would the social and health costs of drug abuse. In reality, there will always be a demand for drugs. Some portion of every population will continue to use illegal drugs to escape reality, experience pleasure, follow peer pressure, chase a misguided sense of adventure, or rebel against authority, among other self-destructive reasons. To counter these proclivities, prevention activities must forestall the use of illegal drugs,
Research indicates that if a young person abstains from using illegal drugs, alcohol, or tobacco until at least age twenty, he or she will almost certainly avoid substance abuse for the remainder of his or her life. Surveys have established that many children abstain from using illegal drugs because an adult they respect -- usually a parent but often a teacher, coach, religious or community leader -- convinced them that using drugs was dangerous. Conversely, studies show that children who use drugs often lack appropriate adult guidance.

When properly informed, most Americans make sound decisions. The challenge is to ensure that our citizens understand that illegal drugs greatly harm both individuals and society. All of us need to recognize that drug use limits human potential. We must make a convincing case that the negative consequences of drug abuse far outweigh any perceived
History has demonstrated that the more plentiful drugs are, the more they will be used. Conversely, the less available drugs are, the fewer people use them. Therefore, we should cut the supply of drugs to our citizens. Drug availability can be decreased by operating against every link in the drug chain from cultivation to production and trafficking. Drug crop cultivation must be addressed both domestically and abroad. Drugs must be interdicted while in transit. The diversion of precursor chemicals must be prevented. Illicit profits must be traced to their criminal sources and, where possible, seized. Trafficking organizations must be broken. Because drug trafficking is fundamentally a profit-oriented enterprise, attacking the economics of every aspect of the illegal drug industry offers a way to reduce drug availability. Interdiction must continue to be a vital component of a balanced supply-reduction effort. Effective interdiction efforts require flexible, in-depth, intelligence-driven operations. Bilateral, multilateral, regional, and international cooperation is critical to the success of any interdiction