Pubdate: Wed, 08 May 2002
Source: Sanford Herald, The (NC)
Copyright: The Sanford Herald 2002
Contact:  http://www.sanfordherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1577
Author: Kenneth Smith
Note: Title by mapinc editor

DRUG USERS IN DENIAL

Regarding your editorial (4-30-02) about the Sanford/Lee County Drug 
and Crime Prevention Task Force ("Drug Task force is taken to task"), 
any attempts to reduce the use of drugs will always be resisted by 
two profound human traits - pleasure seeking and denial.

People wouldn't take drugs if they didn't get pleasure and mood 
alteration from it. We live in a society which tolerates and even 
encourages using alcohol, drugs, pills, etc., to change your mood if 
you need to. Denial is rampant.

As a professional counselor for more than 20 years, I've had hundreds 
of people tell me that, despite obvious evidence to the contrary, 
they had no drug problem! One specific suggestion would be for your 
newspaper to run a list of Narcotics Anonymous meetings in Lee and 
surrounding counties. I've seen first hand the power of the 12-step 
approach of NA to help those who desire to stop abusing drugs and to 
stay sober.

Kenneth Smith
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