Pubdate: Sun, 14 Dec 2003 Source: Lexington Herald-Leader (KY) Copyright: 2003 Lexington Herald-Leader Contact: http://www.kentucky.com/mld/heraldleader/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/240 Author: James Paulson Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n1901/a07.html FACE THE LARGER ISSUES IN ORDER TO COMBAT STATE PRESCRIPTION-DRUG ABUSE I enjoyed the section, "Home Grown Drug Lords," in the Herald-Leader on Dec. 7. I thought the writing and photography were excellent, and the story that it told was one that impacts us all. Pine Knot is a beautiful place to live, but like every community out there, it is not without its social ills. It is sad that our government does nothing to look at the root causes of why communities are decaying from drug abuse. It is sad to watch people destroying their lives and the lives of all of the people around them. It is sad that economic factors play such a pivotal role in the whole market that has become the underworld of society's destruction. If our government were serious about tackling America's dirty little drug problem, it would build treatment facilities in places such as McCreary County to help people who are struggling on the demand side of the problem, instead of tackling the supply side, which will never be won. Drug addiction will never leave us until we start to look at why people's lives are so devastated that they need the daily kick of something, or have to struggle to survive in an impoverished community. I think it is so sad, but when society is in denial, how can it ever change? I hope you will do a follow-up piece and examine some of those issues as well. I just hope people will get the help they need before it is too late. James Paulson Pine Knot - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin