Dear Future President,

Many people don’t understand why or how people become addicted to drugs. The usage of drugs is a huge social, health, and law enforcement problem impacting billions of people all around the world. If we take away drug laws, and keep people away from illegal drugs such as heroin, and LSD, then the use of drugs will decrease significantly. Our society needs to come together to approach and tackle the problem as one. I do understand this is an individual problem, but it is a problem that we all need to work on to help each other. It takes more than one to do one thing.

The use of drugs can cause an early onset of mental disorders/higher risk of drug abuse in young adults. Data has shown that prevention of drugs in the first few months can really start to make an impact on someone. Dr. Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse states in an article I found that, “Drug addiction is a disease of the human brain, showing that the frontal brain regions involved with motion, and drive pleasure in addiction.” She established the use of taking images of the brain to look at the toxic effects/addictive properties of drug abuse. So, it is not surprising that kids who use drugs have family and social problems, with poor academic grades and health- related problems.

We as a whole have a priority to take care of one and other and make sure everyone is okay. Now, how can we do that with all of the abuse of drugs misdemeanor in our world? With the notably high use of drugs, we have a very hard time helping/ working with others, because no one wants to listen to what we have to say. The ones we speak to about it, to put a stop to their behavior all just care about drugs. There is a law in close to every state banning the possession, manufacture, and sale of certain controlled substances. So, tell me why don’t we crack down on them and start making this law a priority? Stop worrying about where clowns are, and what new iphone or update is coming out, and focus on the things that really matter.

For people to drive a car they need to take a test to be issued a license and have a car registered. Owning these two things means it is mandatory to be checked up on and that you are suppose to report all accidents you’ve had to the police and the DMV. Why don’t we do something similar with drugs? Currently drugs such as meth and heroin are a large threat to the U.S. Why can’t we provide a license to those who are in ownership of drugs instead of completely banning them? Doing this so that the ones who are mentally ill, or have a criminal record are not able to own or be in custody of drugs.

We need to come together as a whole and think of our future and what we want this nation to be and become. Young people are dying from this overcoming abuse of drugs every single day. This is not morally right. Let’s start identifying and cracking down those who are selling and providing large quantities of these products, proliferate the ability of help to those who need it, and advocate and pay for the use of medication and treatment. Together we can do this and make a change, if not a big one, at least something over time. Are you willing to have a nation where everyone is always drugged up on certain substances? Don’t you want to put a stop to this behavior and start to make a change? Or do you want the world to slowly fall apart and become nothing?

Sincerely, Hannah Baley