More than 30 years ago, America declared a war on drugs. It’s a war that every community is losing. The drug problem has gotten progressively worse with a minority of people still talking about the problem, but very few, if any, interested in finding the solution. We have become a nation that is indifferent to the evils that go on around us.

Having been involved with the Get High on Life program since 1980, I’ve witnessed a generation of young people being destroyed by their addiction to all types of mind-altering chemicals. Marijuana, the gateway drug to every other form of addiction, has never been taken seriously.       

A few years ago, a national survey revealed that marijuana use had decreased significantly. Today, it has made a strong comeback, and it’s much stronger and easily available. It’s been reported that 30 percent of marijuana users experience smoking pot at 11 years of age or younger.

Years ago heroin was the drug that, according to society, only skid row junkies used. It has not only surfaced again, but many of those addicted come from middle class families. Last Saturday, as I spoke to a group of clients at a drug treatment

center, I was introduced to six

young men for the first time. Three of the men, ages 21, 24 and 26, shared that their drug of choice

was shooting up heroin. I asked

if they ever thought they would reach that level. “Never,” they all responded. They all agreed they hated needles. Every illegal drug addict I’ve ever met began their drug use with marijuana. That’s proof that drugs are cunning, baffling and powerful.

Why do young people use drugs? Ralph Larkin, a sociologist, said, “Many young people of affluence are depicted as passively accepting a way of life they view as empty and meaningless, resulting in a syndrome that includes a low threshold of boredom, a constricted expression of emotions and an apparent absence of joy in anything that is not immediately consumable. It makes sense when you observe the role now played by music, drugs, booze and sex. Take away rock concerts and sports events, and you will seldom witness much display of strong emotion.”

The bottom line is that we, as a nation, have accepted defeat in the drug war. Does that mean individually we should surrender? No, but the solution to the problem is something that most Americans don’t want to hear about.

Many of us have gone through a generation gap, then a gender gap and now the God gap. The solution to any problem is wisdom from God. He has the answer to everything, including the drug problem, but America has refused to go to Him for the answer.

If you have any questions or comments, please write to Get High on Life, P.O. Drawer U, Reserve, LA 70084, call 985-652-8477, or email hkeller@comcast.net.