I tell my kids the
reason I didn’t do drugs was because I was afraid I might like them. (I
could have told them that the DuPage County Coroner’s office has reported 38
heroin overdose deaths already this year but I’ve learned that statistics don’t
resonate very well with kids.)
Heroin used to be taboo
among many recreational drug users because it was injected intravenously with a
needle into a vein. The common belief was that anyone who “shoots up” is a “junky”.
Because human beings are
masters at rationalizing their behavior, a growing number of people are now
experimenting with heroin because it doesn’t have the stigma of yesterday.
Manufacturers of heroin
have since figured out how to refine it with such purity that it can be smoked
or snorted, so it doesn’t seem so scary anymore. Not to mention that it’s
pretty cheap compared to other popular illegal drugs so even those on a limited
income can afford it.
It is for these very
reasons that we are seeing more deaths from heroin overdoses. Some might
call it an “epidemic”. In order for something to be called an epidemic,
there has to be a widespread occurrence so, I think the term is fitting.
The fact that humans are
pleasure-seekers by nature makes heroin easy to market.
If I were the CEO in
charge Heroin, Inc., I would have my sales team give away free samples because
one use is all it takes to develop an addiction. It’s a derivative of
morphine and anyone who has been given the substance in a hospital for pain
relief can attest that it makes you feel really groovy. In fact, I would
choose that line as my marketing slogan.
The return on my
investment is the addicts I’ve created who will beg, borrow and steal to get
their next fix. Heroin addicts are not born. They are made---hence
my philosophy that I’m terrified I might like it.
I wrote my last column
about Drug Rehabilitation Court and I received a lot of responses based on this
comment I made:
“I
still struggle because I believe we arrive at addiction by way of conscious
choice. A reasonable person must suffer the consequences of choosing a
path where they know there is a strong likelihood of it ending in destruction.”
Some people felt as
though I wasn’t showing compassion for those who have found themselves on the
aforementioned path. One person declared that they didn’t choose the path
– it was chosen for them. Their parents were drug addicts and thus, the
path was already paved in stone for them.
I never meant to imply
that our circumstances don’t play a colossal role in the course of our future.
Any social scientist with PhD after their name will tell you that the
environment to which we are exposed dictates our cultural and social norms.
I will, however, argue
that our paths are not paved in permanence. I had the honor and privilege
to be educated about Drug Court Rehabilitation and I am so pleasantly touched
by success stories of those who have overcome their addiction to become
productive members of society.
Paths can change when we
have the courage to be honest and admit we are going in the wrong direction.
If we don’t know we are on the wrong road, I have found that human influence
can be the one thing that changes our course. All it takes is one person
to stand at the fork in the road and help us make the turn. That doesn’t
mean that we won’t fall down now and again as long as we keep getting up and
moving forward.
Some people will try to lure and entice you down
the wrong path. The best way to avoid the path of devastation is to steer clear
of it all together.