Drugs and alcohol, along with the addiction and other consequences they bring, rank at the top of the most pressing social problems facing society. Yet even as substance abuse ravages our communities, the trend is moving toward ever-increasing acceptance of the use of mind-altering drugs.

I’m no prude, and I lean heavily toward libertarian principles. It’s clear that the so-called “war on drugs” has been an abject failure, doing nothing but exacerbating the pain and suffering of everyone involved. The DEA is just as bad as any Mexican drug cartel, and every agent of the agency is nothing but a self-promoting prick who gest paid to destroy lives while making our problems worse. In fact, since the so-called “war on drugs” was launched in 1971, substance abuse has grown significantly and is now higher than it’s ever been, making it clear that the trillions of dollars spent on policing and punitive policies aren’t accomplishing a thing. If any corporation had that track record, they’d have gone out of business long ago.

That said, as someone whose worked with social issues all my life, I know firsthand how devastating substance abuse can be. Even if, like me, you believe in giving people as much freedom as possible, mind-altering substances are still bad news. They’re not a natural pleasure, but an artificial, chemically-induced one. Their cumulative toll is worse than that of all forms of child abuse combined. Addiction ravages families, destroys children, and kills people on a daily basis. In fact, in the time it will have taken you to read this page, another American (or two, or three) will have died as a result of substance abuse–whether that be the 7-year-old girl killed by a drunk driver on her way home from school, or the mother of three who is gasping her last breaths right now after taking a hit from a bad batch of fentanyl.

All drugs, even the milder ones, are an artificial substitute for pleasure that distracts people from what truly matters. Which is why even “mild” drugs like marijuana come with a whole host of negative consequences. Just watch someone who’s stoned on heroin, as they sit there doing nothing, zombied out and staring off into space, mouth wide open, drewling like the severely disabled kid nobody wanted to sit next to on the school bus. Fun Times! Who knew that drewling and staring at a wall could be so much fun? Of course, it isn’t. Nobody with a normally-functioning brain would look at such a scene and describe it as enjoyable. But that’s the paradox of mind-altering substances: They trick the user into feeling pleasure, even as they detract from the substance of your life. They toy with the neurocircuitry of the brain, forcing it to release mood-boosting chemicals in otherwise dull and ordinary situations, which in turn makes it harder for a person to derive natural pleasure from everyday life.

Information on drugs, alcohol and addiction

Throughout this area you’ll find sane, rational, scientifically accurate information on drugs, alcohol and substance abuse. Whether you’re a concerned family member or someone who struggles with addiction yourself, these pages will empower you with the knowledge that can help you tackle a substance abuse problem.

Select from the following topics:

{child-pages]