It is a rare day indeed, when the news in the Brainerd Dispatch does not mention a drug bust, an overdose or somebody interacting with drugs. What is scary about this is the biggest percentage of the dealers and users are never caught. Yet the vast majority of the people I know are apathetic to this problem. They don't care until it's their sons or daughters who are addicted. Then they scream for better treatment programs and free government care.
If you could put a number on the cost of drug treatment for addicts, number of robberies and burglaries that are drug related and the time spent by the police fighting it, your head would swim. They have spent a trillion dollars on the war on drugs and not made a dent in it. It is hopelessly out of control. This is to say nothing about the deaths and or the people who will never recover. There is no price tag for that.
The family structure in this nation is where a lot of the education that could stop this behavior needs to be taught. But sadly it's nonexistent in a lot of homes. It went down the tube with a lot of the morality we used to have. Yes, lack of morality and drugs are bedfellows.
We have no money to fix our roads and bridges. Schools are being shortchanged. Lots of good programs could exist with the money that gets spent to fight drugs. It's Easter this weekend. A time to go and listen to the words of the greatest teacher that ever lived. Morality was big with him. You would be surprised what it could do with your life when it comes to your family values.
Mike Holst
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