Research to End Addiction
Over the past 10 years I have been shouting at the top of my lungs about the opioid crisis. I’m thrilled that Americans are now actually getting on board. But is it to late? I’ve seen death, sorrow and chaos in so many families that I’ve lost count. It never ceases to amaze me how we as a society let this epidemic continue to grow and the fact of the matter is that it still hasn’t slowed down. Everybody talks a good game, but where are the answers? Where are the changes? Have we reached the point of no return and can we actually fix this?
I never hear anyone talking about a cure for addiction. Maybe it’s because there isn’t one, or so we have been told. I’m having a hard time believing we can’t come up with one.
As a recovering drug addict, I know I’m not cured. I didn’t use yesterday or today. But I never know what tomorrow holds. I guess where my frustration begins is why isn’t anyone trying to figure out a cure or at the very least, talking about how we might figure it out. Addiction in my opinion, is just as bad as cancer or any other life-threatening disease. Obviously, we haven’t figured out a cure for cancer but at least we are trying.
Over the past 60 years we have split the atom, we have spliced the gene, and put men on the moon. We have reached for the stars and never have we been closer to having them in our grasp. New science and new technology is making the difference between life and death. On another note, we have also figured out how to put a scud missile up a camel’s ass in a desert, 6,915 miles away. We’ve got to be proud of that one!
Bill Gates has spent millions on getting computers to those in the most remote corners of the world. God forbid we should go without Google! Actor Matt Damon wants us to ship fresh water to places we have never heard of and Actor Hugh Jackman’s charity “The Laughing Man Foundation” wants to make the world laugh by providing educational & entrepreneurial opportunity to thousands of individuals in need of a “boost”. Am I missing something here? I’m all for searching Google to find out where the nearest Starbucks is, having a fresh glass of water and a good laugh. However, I will say this, I’m sure these guy’s hearts are in the right place and they have done some great things to help humanity, but I’m curious why I can’t find one person with the means or the heart’s desire to lead the charge for research in attempting to find a cure for addiction. I’m sure there is some obscure university somewhere doing some sort of research but until we realize addiction is as bad as cancer and other diseases, we aren’t going to accomplish anything. Maybe if addiction has hit one of these guys kids, things might change.