Think About It

The other day I was reading a news story about a town in the North Central Plains of the United States that was dealing with methamphetamine use.  I almost had to do a double-take because I remember waging war on this scourge almost twenty years ago.  Money was allocated and enforcement efforts were increased to address the issue.  Now, less than two decades later – it’s back!  The same can be said about the presence of opioids and, in particular, heroin.  Back in the day, our nation did a pretty good job of defining the downside of heroin abuse and it seemed like we had a handle on it; but, we find ourselves having to deal with it all over again.  You would think that new generations would learn from the travails of their forefathers, but, I am not sure that assessment is accurate. As I reflect upon these and other social issues that seem to be returning I have come to realize a couple of things:           First, illicit behavior has a powerful appeal.  Most people can identify b