As a chemical dependency professional, I work with many people in the grips of addiction. There seems to be a false belief that the court system and law enforcement are only interested in "punishing" these poor, addicted souls. The truth is, any alcohol or drug-related offense requires a drug/alcohol assessment, and the individual is also required to complete the treatment recommendations. Yes, they are punished because they broke the law and potentially put others at risk, but they are not only given the opportunity, they are required to get help for their addiction. The problem occurs when the individual refuses to accept the treatment, not the "system" failing to provide it. You can lead a horse to water...

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