Dear President,

I would like to take a few minutes to talk about the drug usage in America. Our drug usage is absolutely outrageous. According to Nationwide Trends, in 2013 an estimated 24.6 million Americans 12 and up (9.4 percent of the population) have used an illant drug. The number was at 8.3 percent in 2002. Marijuana is the most commonly used drug. Drugs are an addiction that once you start it’s near impossible to stop. Drug addiction is a chronic, often relapsing brain disease that causes compulsive drug seeking use. Drugs are not only harmful to the one using the drug but to the family and friends or just anyone around the user. People use drugs to forget about their real world problems, and when looking for an escape or happy place they typically will start doing drugs. I think we need to try harder to find a way to lower the rate of drug use. I think we need more talks in schools, kids need to be shown what it can do to them. Instead of someone just saying “oh drugs are bad don’t do them” I think they need to show them, what it can do. Teenagers in school need to know that the effects of drug use are contraction of HIV, hepatitis, other illnesses, Irregular heart rate, a possibility of a heart attack, lung cancer, emphysema, breathing problems, and DEATH. These kids need to know that starting into drugs will get them nowhere in life, and that they have a high chance of dying. We need to find more things for teenagers to do, get more places for people to work so they can have something keeping us busy instead of having a ton of free time. A lot of the drug addicts have so much free time, that they have nothing to do. If we can keep people busy maybe that will reduce the drug rate in America. Also, if someone is on drugs or seems to be on drugs, maybe sending them to counseling will help? Our drug rate is increasing and it seems like nobody is even trying to make any changes. Something really needs to be done, our drug rate needs to go DOWN. 

Sincerely, 

Julie M