Drug abuse has ruined many lives, from causing bankruptcy to fuel an addiction, to causing families to be destroyed, to being the cause of a hundred thousand deaths a year. And what does the government say to do for the abusers? Arrest them, fine them, stain their record, but never once does it come to any form of reformation or rehabilitation.

The current system is very inefficient. The article I read proves this with numbers, seeing as 95% of drug abuse charges in the U.S go nowhere and allow the person charged to walk free, giving them the option to repeat the process and most likely will. With this new possible system that the article theorizes, people can receive treatment and actually pull themselves together. Along with this data, 7.6% of residents of Arkansas were reported in 2010 for wanting to obtain illicit drugs, with the national average as 8.8%.

This theory the article describes has been around for years, and it’s called “deflecting.” It’s a well thought idea, it finally helps the addict gain control of their lives. Control is the most important thing an addict needs. Without control, the addict will begin the vicious cycle yet again and no progress will be made. The feeling of responsibility is very important when it comes to things like addictions, and if this new form of rehabilitation can begin, then the addict may be able to feel the control they need.

I also learned of two other things while speaking to a teacher here at the school, one of which being the drug court in Pocahontas. There is a drug court here in Pocahontas that deals with drug problems in the area, from minors to adults. According to a different source, when it comes to minors, nothing gets done in the courts. The person I had spoken to told me that they were supposed to get their court dates one week after the event that caused them to be in trouble in the first place, however it has been 3 months and they still haven't gotten a court date set. Of course this is only a case study, but when it comes to something like this I'm sure there are others who have faced similar issues.

IoT, standing for intensive outpatient treatment, is a system similar to Alcoholics Anonymous, helping with drug abuse the way AA works with recovering addicts. It helps the recovery process feel easier. It provides drug tests monthly/weekly and at the end there is a celebration similar to graduating AA. IoT is a great place to recover, but if the user has no motivation to get clean, then what use does a place like an IoT have?

Overall, the current system is flawed. If this new system, “deflecting,” is put into place, the impact would be drastic and very good for every community in the United States. Additionally, something like IoT should be given more attention and maybe even required if you are charged with something related to drug abuse.