DRUG ABUSE

HAS THERE EVER BEEN ANYTHING LIKE THE 'WAR ON DRUGS,' WHERE SO MANY OF THE
WOUNDS ARE SELF-INFLICTED?

In the 'war on drugs,' far too many of the wounds are self-inflicted. But in
time, the damage almost always spreads to others.

Years ago, a woman called and suggested that The Sun Herald print and
distribute money to erase poverty in South Mississippi. She was told
that, even with our powerful printing presses, such a solution was not
an option.

If only it were.

If only we could do that or, just as improbable, publish a recipe or
print the instructions that, if followed, would make the ills of
society vanish.

Instead we print stories, and hope that in telling them some people
will read just the right words to cause them to do just the right thing.

We have just finished telling three stories in our continuing
"Fighting Back" series on the abuse of drugs and its
consequences.

The first was published on Sunday, and told the story of a woman whose
son died of a drug overdose at a Mardi Gras party in 2001. As a
result, she has started a Nar-Anon group. Just as Narcotics Anonymous
seeks to assist drug abusers, Nar-Anon seeks to assist the family and
friends of drug abusers.

The second was published on Monday, and it told the story of yet
another effort to use the court system to give first-time drug
offenders a second chance.

The third installment was published on Tuesday, and it detailed the
latest efforts of the Long Beach Substance Abuse Task Force to halt
drug abuse.

In time, our reporters will be back with another "Fighting Back"
series, detailing more battles in the "war on drugs."

"The war on drugs."

That's a strange concept, considering that so many of the wounds in
this conflict are self-inflicted. At least initially.

Because in time, the damage spreads.

It spreads to families and friends, who have been robbed of the
personality of someone they love.

It spreads to employers, who have been robbed of the productivity and
potential of someone they trusted.

It spreads to strangers, who grow weary of living in fear of people
who have lost control of their senses.

It spreads to law enforcement officials, who have to contend with the
destruction and death that constantly stalk the drug abuser.

It spreads to the jurists, who tire of sitting in judgment of those
who can no longer judge for themselves.

It spreads to taxpayers, who are sick of being made responsible for
those who behave so irresponsibly.

It spreads until no one seems untouched or untroubled. Most of the
wounds in this war may be self-inflicted, but the damage they cause
seeps into our homes and schools and workplaces and
communities.

So you either surrender... or you fight back.

We have no intention of surrendering.

We have every intention of fighting back.

We cannot print money to end poverty. But we can and will continue to
print the stories of individuals and institutions that are joining or
carrying on the struggle.

And who knows, maybe one day we will print just the right recipe or
just the right set of instructions.