Dear Good News Magazine Subscriber,
All the bad news about Afghan drug lords, Mexican drug cartels and the explosion of violence in the drug wars can overshadow the front lines of suffering in the families of the United States and other countries.
One grandmother's story recently brought this home to me. It was not a sensational story—sadly, this type of thing and worse happens every day. But seeing it through her eyes, and imagining the scene from her grandchildren's perspective, gave a human face to this overwhelming tragedy.
As her daughter and son-in-law slid deeper and deeper into the trap of addiction and the illegal activities needed to pay for their drugs, their children were increasingly neglected and missed more and more school. But the calls from the school often went unanswered because the parents were sleeping off a drug-induced stupor, only to come alive late at night when the children needed sleep.
"In time, home, children and family mean nothing—only the addiction matters, and trying to hide it," she said. But the cycle of deception couldn't go on forever.
"Then the police finally came in the very early morning hours with a team, broke through the door and handcuffed the occupants who were all sleeping. This was very scary for the children, seeing their parents arrested and taken away. The Child Protective Services people were called in, and the children were each taken away. The teen went to a shelter in a faraway city, and the younger child was put into a foster home until a relative could be reached."
The challenges this grandmother faced in getting custody of her grandchildren and in trying to help them through this trauma are heart-wrenching.
"The children have been affected by all of the changes, for both of their parents were now in prison—one for five years and the other for two years. Just try to put yourself in the children's shoes for that many years—how would you feel? Can you imagine what life would have been like, living in a druggie house and having so many strangers coming in your home and locking themselves in a bedroom? There would be days when you wouldn't want to go home, yet you wouldn't want your cousins, aunts or uncles and grandparents to know what was going on in your life. Without realizing it, the children tried to protect their own parents!"
Multiply that millions of times
There are millions of other stories of the human impact of drug abuse. Wherever you look at the criminal chain of supply and demand, it's a never-ending downward spiral of selfishness, greed and destruction. Unfulfilled lives lead to self-medication or thrill seeking, which leads to illegal demand, which leads to boatloads of money, which leads to corruption and organized crime, which leads to exploitation and violence.
Attacking one link in the chain seems doomed to fail. For example, in spite of intense U.S. pressure, the Stratfor Global Intelligence organization believes that the "Mexican government has lost control of the northern tier of Mexico to drug-smuggling organizations, which have significantly greater power in that region than government forces."
But can the United States blame Mexico and other countries for a problem fueled by Americans? Stratfor explains, "The amount of money pouring into Mexico annually is stunning. It is estimated to be about $35 billion to $40 billion each year. The massive profit margins involved make these sums even more significant…profit margins are conservatively estimated to stand at around 80 percent."
Back in August of 2005, then president of Mexico Vicente Fox said that the United States should stop complaining about Mexico's antidrug efforts. "What is being done on [the U.S.] side?" he asked.
Breaking free
This subject is global and complex. But ultimately, no one will win these drug wars until drug abusers break free from addictions. The toxic culture that promotes addiction must be changed. This destructive demand for drugs, fueled by hedonism and hopelessness and a host of other social ills, must be stopped. The problem won't stop till we stop!
John Cafourek's article from a couple years ago, "Breaking Free From Addictions," and the related articles and sidebars remain excellent resources for those interested in the real solution to this terrible scourge that afflicts so many individuals, families and nations. Individuals who commit themselves to breaking free can make a great difference for their children and families today.
But can this entire world break free? The good news is, Jesus Christ will return and help free this world from the shackles of addictions and evils of all kinds. Please pray with us, "Your Kingdom come!"
Warm regards,
Mike Bennett
Editorial content manager
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