Telling it like it is on drug abuse

Word is finally getting out about the realities of drug use. One of the leading voices is Christina Huffington, daughter of Arianna Huffington of "The Huffington Post." She started cocaine at the age of 16 and is now sober after seeking help at age 22. In an interview on the "Today" show, Christina said her struggle with cocaine addiction was "absolutely unglamorous." "There was nothing fun about it ... I was really depressed, I was scared, I was anxious and I sorta just felt isolated and alone," she said. She described being confined to her apartment from morning till night using drugs. This doesn't sound like the type of life and conditions anyone would want to live under. Yet people choose to abuse drugs every day, and I believe it's because a lot of them don't realize that what may have started off as looking cool or something fun to do with friends or at a party, doesn't last. More needs to be done to make people aware of what drug abuse really entails, and I applaud Christina Huffington for going public about her addiction so that others may know. We all have the potential to become substance abusers. Every one of us feels vulnerable at some point and available prescription drugs can become the easy and quick choice. Christina said she struggled with loneliness and emptiness and "desired to fill it with substances." It didn't matter that she was rich or had a loving family or a world of possibilities open to her. Drugs aren't prejudice; they affect the wealthy and poor, young and old, men and women, people who are successful and those who are down on their luck, living in the city or the country. West Virginia is especially hit hard by prescription drug abuse. Oceana's residents in Wyoming County tell in graphic detail in the documentary "Oxyana" of what it's like to live in a town where a lot of people are addicted to drugs. It's not pretty. It's heartbreaking and scary and something we shouldn't want to continue there or in other areas of our state and nation. Prescription drug abuse in particular is an epidemic of our country and the fact that our state has some of the worst abuse makes it especially too close to home to ignore. Being informed of the realties of drug abuse is a start, and "Oxyana" and Christina Huffington's public position have done a good job, but more people need to watch the documentary and read Huffington's story. Share these valuable resources with your loved ones, friends and co-workers, so that if they find themselves in a vulnerable moment, they can make an informed decision and hopefully choose not to abuse drugs. That's just one way to join the fight on the local level. On the state level, plenty of West Virginians are doing something about prescription drug abuse right now through the court system and by offering a variety of drug treatment options through the Prestera Center. Read a story by Travis Crum. And on the federal level, Attorney General Eric Holder recently announced changes to how low-level, nonviolent drug offenders are to be prosecuted. It could be the most significant change since the war on drugs was initiated in the 1980s. Read the article here.