Drug Addiction
Prevention is the best way to avoid the later subsequent
health risks, damaged relationships and costly financial
obligations associated with drug addiction. Drug prevention
programs are less expensive and therefore most cost effective
than treating drug addiction or a substance abuse disorder.
In addition to the health costs, there are socioeconomic
costs of drug addiction paid for by society at large. The
number of drug addiction cases flooding our legal systems
and jails are a huge burden on taxpayers. The legal costs,
unemployment and social assistance which are often byproducts
of drug addiction can be minimized or alleviated by prevention
techniques.
Many schools and social service providers offer prevention programs tailored
towards youth in an attempt to discourage drug addiction. There are various prevention
techniques used according to the age of the intended audience. For example, fun
activities such as coloring books and art contests can be a useful tool to open
a dialogue regarding the dangers of drug addiction.
The darker realities of drug addiction are presented to older children and teenagers
participating in drug prevention programs. Issue such as the health risks, possible
death and drug seeking behaviors such as prostitution are examined with the children
to underscore the many risks posed by a drug addiction. Older children may be
better equipped to understand the gravity and complexity of the issue and are
at a crucial time in development for drug addiction prevention. Teenagers are
the most likely group to come under pressure to experiment with drugs and therefore
pave the way for later drug addictions.
Drug addiction is now getting the attention it needs as a disease and there are
treatment programs which treat is as such. However, prevention is the best way
to decrease the cases of drug addiction and attempt to get a better grasp on
this world wide epidemic.
Disclaimer: Cliff Schaffer does not personally endorse or support any of the comments made within the writings of this article.
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