Drug abuse is a growing problem in Hawaii. Through research and personal experience, I see the negative effects it has on our community in regards to our safety and health. Some have expressed to me that Hawaii being free of drugs is a naive dream. However, through raising awareness and offering help to those who have formed addictions, I believe Hawaii can overcome this issue and be better for it.
I personally have known people who have been pressured themselves by peers to partake in drug abuse. Some have caved due to the want to fit in, or upon the belief that they were stronger than the addictive substances. I want to implement a plan to raise awareness to those out there that drugs are not “cool”. It is not “cool” to have less…show more content… People active in the program were reported to be 72% less likely to turn to drugs after a year of enrolment. This shows that it is possible for us to change for the better on a drug free future. In a tightly knit community such as Hawaii, we must lovingly reach out to our neighbors and ohana, to help them see they deserve better than the consequences of drugs. Recently other states have legalized non- medical drugs. I would like to send a plea to the government of Hawaii, to not even consider doing the same thing. I don’t want to endanger Hawaii for an increase in economic income. I want the state of Hawaii to gain its income with…show more content… “Experts unanimously blame the high crime rate (predominantly property crimes) in Hawaii on drugs”. In the year 2009, 148 people died as a direct result of drug abuse. This is higher than the death statistics related to firearms, and car accidents. We are not stronger than drugs. Our bodies are not strong enough to maintain an aware mind in potentially dangerous situations, or function at their best after drug abuse. According to the National Institute On Drug Abuse, “Although initial drug use might be voluntary, drugs of abuse have been shown to alter gene expression and brain circuitry, which in turn affect human behavior”. It becomes increasingly difficult to make voluntary decisions over obsessive and compulsive ones, for people after having formed an addiction. We often hear the words “not even once” in association with drugs, this is why, the first time, is the only you make the choice with a sound mind. It is hard for those with addictions to stop drugs, if those of us still fully conscious don’t lend a hand. If nothing is done to rectify the issue of drug abuse in Hawaii, in fifty years time, it is likely there will be increased criminal activity and the average citizen may not have the ability to make conscious decisions. In fifty years people of Hawaii may lose their free