Drug Rehabilitation: An Alternative To Punishment

Should a drug addict be punished? There can be a long debate on this issue. If you punish and penalize a drug addict, is it possible to bring the person back to the right path? Can imprisonment provide those corrective measures required to improve the mental, physical and social changes in a drug addict? If yes then legal punishment procedure is always welcomed to treat the drug addict. But sorry to state that such changes cannot take place behind bars.

Laws for drug related crimes

Several laws already prevail in the society to protect you from the effects of drugs. Drug trafficking itself is a very big offence. The trafficking of illicit drugs must be put an end and sever legal steps should be taken against the gang and the individuals involved in carrying out such menace.

The problem lies how will law look at the persons who are indulge in the drug consumption activities. How will law take action against the drug addicts? Well there is a specific law that states that the person will be imprisoned for a term if he is found to take drugs. The fact doesn'tmatter whether he is committing this illegal thing for the first time or not. But taking drugs is punishable.

You must have heard of the Harrison Act. This famous Act had been passed in the year 1914 just before the First World War to inhibit the sale of illegal drugs in any form. Once caught, it will immediately put the person or the group involved into legal action.

The irony behind al these legal steps lies in the reality that the law exists in its own way and the crimes associated with illicit drugs has their own rule.

Rehabilitation is successful

Drug trafficking should be legally treated but drug addiction requires a much more sensitive and humble concern to help the victims come out of this path. Drug rehabilitation is the broader way to look at the drug addiction problem. If an addict is directly designated as a criminal and imprisoned, later when he/she gets released the aftermath can be further worsened. As a criminal the person will never get the support to heal.

Drug rehabilitation is the best healing aid to a drug addict. Right from psychological therapies, remedial techniques including right dose of medicines, the person is gradually helped to step out from the wrong path. The criminal instinct is also put to an end. Isn't this the better way to look at the whole issue instead of limiting it to the domain of crime?