The drug epidemic. u Currently it is estimated that 300 million people worldwide are either experimenting, or are addicted to drugs.

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1 An epidemic A widespread occurrence of an infectious or other disease in a community at a particular time. The usual response of the public health authorities originally was to isolate those infected, attempt to discover the cause, and the treatment.this is no longer true!

2 The drug epidemic. u Currently it is estimated that 300 million people worldwide are either experimenting, or are addicted to drugs. u The most common drug is cannabis or marijuana or about 630 other names for this substance! u A recent survey of University students in the United States found that 48% were smoking marijuana more than twice a week!

3 abused. other drugs currently being Narcotics such as morphine, oxycodone, OxyContin, heroin. Amphetamines also called ecstasy. Inhalants, such as shoe polish, paint remover, glue. Alcohol. Tobacco.

4 What are the reasons for the universal love affair with drugs? u It all started with the discovery of antibiotics in 1936 by Fleming,Chain and Florey. The Nobel Prize for Medicine.antibiotics virtually changed history. u The second reason is the discovery of vaccines. We could now prevent infectious diseases that previously killed millions of children.

5 More reasons for our love affair with drugs. The Great Canadian physician Sir William Osler, said to be the father of modern medicine, said: the good Dr. uses one drug for many diseases. Not true nowadays! Over the past century we have developed many drugs for many diseases and in truth we have a pill for every ill! Diabetes, Hgh blood pressure,aids and Cancer in some cases, are now chronic diseases due to drugs and lifestyle changes. The modern doctor prescribes many drugs for many illnesses. This is due to the fact that the drug industry, finances and develops most of the new drugs at we now take for granted.

6 Possible preventative medicine. u An organization entitled A drug free world. This is an organization that believes that education at an early age may prevent some young people from imbibing illegal drugs. u This organization believes that telling the truth about drugs may prevent the wholesale abuse that is going on at present.

7 The results of the epidemic. u In Alberta, 0ver 500 young men and women have died from narcotic overdose. u Our emergency rooms are being flooded with young people in trouble because of drug overdose, mainly marijuana, and frequently mixed with other drugs

8 Besides death what are the other consequences of drug addiction? u Research has shown that marijuana can lead to addiction. 40% of cocaine addicts in a study from New South Wales, started their career on marijuana. u The commonest cause of a perforated nasal septum is sniffing cocaine! Even in Calgary! u A recent study from the Netherlands revealed that at least 10% of narcotic addicts started their career on marijuana. And yet our government, and 23 states in the United States have legalized marijuana.

9 More reasons. u Direct to patient advertising in the media. u 60% of advertisements in the media are health related. u We and Our children are being brainwashed by the media and think that all of their problems would be cured by a drug. u The illicit drug industry is worth approximately $60 billion per year!

10 What is our response to this epidemic? An absolute failure. Estimated costs since its inception over One Trillion Dollars! Needle parks. An incentive to continue drugs. Emergency treatment for overdose. Increase in the number of addiction centers in the West. Paid for,by you over 40 know who! Incarceration for those found carrying or using drugs. In the USA this means, loss of the right to vote, loss of welfare, unemployment, and returned to drug addiction.

11 We need your help! u We need you to talk to your local schools, about this problem and the fact that there is an organization, which is a volunteer organization, that will come to your schools and educate the children not only about drug addiction, but about all of the health affecting behavior that they are going to face including alcohol, which is now the third cause of in hospital deaths in North America, tobacco, which the government has spent literally millions of dollars trying to combat, and now they re introducing another addictive dangerous chemical into the mix. This is simple NONSENSE u As parents and grandparents, we must talk to our children regularly about the challenges they face in the future.

12 Some responses to this endeavor. u It is propaganda, perpetrated by big Pharma, so that people will fear natural and synthetic drugs instead of buying their products. u In response to a letter to the editor that I wrote, it was a hysterical rant! u It won t work because drugs are so popularized in modern music, the media, and the press.

13 A GRASS ROOTS RESPONSE IS NEEDED! u Our OUR POLIITICIANS ARE NOT INTERESTED!