Solving the Problems of Drug Trafficking

There are various ways in which individuals start trying drugs and none is an excuse for the people concerned. Sometimes it is because 'friends' push them to try 'an experience'. This might be a new companion, the culture of the environment they live in or trying to fit into a new set of people. Sometimes the life a person has led so far has been so painful emotionally that they will do anything to blot it out and avoid the deep distress they feel inside. A childhood where the individual was mistreated, denigrated and sidelined does not make it easy for them to be confident and cope with life. Sometimes it is the result of an experience which was so traumatic to them that they cannot come to terms with it. Women and children who have been raped are an example. Coming to terms with what happened seems to be impossible and the emotional pain creates unbearable stresses. Drugs and alcohol will blot out temporarily the emotional distress which is so hard to bear.
Drugs are a profitable business. Each layer, from growing to distribution, makes money, sometimes a great deal. The amounts of money possible make taking risks worth it.
Many drugs are grown in areas of the world where poverty is rife. Everyone wants to live, it is a basic drive. From the poppy fields of Afghanistan to the Andean growing areas this is their chosen solution to earn some money. They are often the victims of their products. Drugs, therefore, are way to create an income to avoid starvation.
The solutions to the issue lie in these two areas. Education of society in which the usual givens of autocratic control by governments and communities are challenged is a first step. Telling people not to do something makes it interesting and is no bar to those who are curious. The criticism of those who do not understand the reasons why some take drugs and abuse alcohol is detrimental to solving the problem. When society treats its individuals fairly, with respect, and does not abuse them, there is a chance that people will not need drugs and alcohol. A challenge to the belief system of many about drugs and alcohol is a mountain of a task but education and information is the only way. An element of mercy in our dealings with others offers them respect and helps to stop the emotional distortions that individuals experience which prohibits them from making good decisions for themselves. The emotional world is irrational. Falling in love is an example. It is difficult to legislate against feelings.
As poverty is such an issue in many parts of the world some creative thinking about what crops could be grown instead of drug producing ones would be helpful. It is easy for those with a comfortable income to criticize the poor and consider them less important - after all, it's money which is worshiped by many.