DEA to Launch Pilot Program in Four U.S. Cities
The federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has announced plans to launch pilot programs in four major cities across America in hopes of solving a drug crisis that has caused people from San Diego to the East Coast to desperately need drug rehab centers. The agency says it wants to focus on the voids that are left open after gangs and other drug dealing organizations are sent to prison.
These voids are much like a power vacuum that would be created if the leader of a country were deposed. The voids leave room for other drug dealers and organizations to fight for control of drug trades previously controlled by the arrested gang. Not only do the voids increase violence, but also keep the need for drug rehab centers going steady, because there is never a shortage of dealers.
The pilot program will not be tested in the San Diego area, but if it is successful, hopefully cities like San Diego will be able to implement it with ease.
The programs aim to fill the voids left by arrested dealers with drug treatment, job training and other related programs. “We want to replace those folks with you,” said special agent Gary Tuggle to members of the Bridge To Hope family support group, Elks Club, Boys and Girls Club and other groups focused on preventing and treating addiction.
The program includes increased funding and personnel at the four locations, including two new permanent investigators. The job of the investigators will be to go after “pill mill” doctors and drug traffickers that use fake prescriptions. “We are not going to arrest our way out of this,” he said as he explained the need to fight the stigma that keeps families from seeking help.
Tuggle himself was affected by prescription addiction as his daughter was addicted to painkillers for years, and was in and out of drug rehab centers. “Hearing how other families assisted addicted relatives helped us come up with a plan that seems to be working”, he said.
According to Tuggle, today’s heroin epidemic “dwarfs” the one that followed the Vietnam War, as well as the 1980s crack epidemic. He says that rogue doctors and pharmacists willing to hand out prescription painkillers feed today’s epidemic. The pilot programs aim to stop this and other root causes of the problem, rather than chase street dealers.
Of course, there are still many people that the programs will be too late to help. Prescription painkiller addiction is a serious problem. If you or a loved one is suffering from addiction, it is important to contact a specialist at any of the Sand Diego rehab centers immediately.
Ian Carry is a health writer for Fusion 360, an SEO and content marketing agency. Information provided by Miramar Drug and Alcohol Reheb Centers. Follow on Twitter