Although law enforcement fights every day to keep our streets free of drugs, there still exists a significant drug trafficking problem in this country. According to the FBI, the flow of drugs over the Mexican border has intensified and now, new countries around the world are begging to sell their illicit wares within the United States border. The following drug trafficking statistics are designed to open the eyes of those men and women who do not believe that drug problems can occur right at their doorstep.
Recent Statistics on Drug Trafficking
- The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) makes over 30,000 arrests each year related to the sales and distribution of illegal narcotics.
- Over 32 percent of all inmates in state prisons in the United States were either under the influence of drugs or in possession of drugs when arrested (that number is above 25 percent for federal prison inmates).
- Drug trafficking in Mexico is a business worth over $50 billion per year.
- It is believed that the loss of the drug trafficking industry in Mexico would cause that country’s economy to shrink by over 63 percent.
- Illicit drug use is associated with several leading causes of death in the United States, including suicide, homicide, motor-vehicle injury, HIV infection, pneumonia, violence, mental illness and hepatitis.
- There are over 4,400 DEA officers currently working full time in divisions dedicated to fighting drug sales and drug trafficking across the United States.
- In 2008, the DEA seized the following amounts of drugs within the borders of the United States:
The Current State of Drug Traffic in the United States
Although the DEA and other government agencies are working furiously to stem the tide of drugs entering our borders, there is still a significant problem in many parts of the country. Any state that borders Mexico is likely involved in its own drug war at the present time. Mexican drug cartels have become more aggressive – and indeed, more violent – in their efforts to move product to the north. That has left many communities in Texas and California in ruins, as the death toll attributed to gang violence and drug addiction is at an all-time high.
How to Avoid Being Just Another Statistic
If someone you love has developed a drug addiction, it is important to get that person needed help immediately. Because an individual is unlikely to seek professional help on their own, the longer loved ones wait to get involved, the further down the negative spiral of drug addiction their friend or family member will go. The first step is to take to the person you love aside and talk to them about their problem.
If you do not see any change in their behavior, hold an intervention. An intervention is a way of “holding up a mirror” to the individual’s problem so they can see for themselves the damage they are doing to their own life and the lives of those around them. While you can conduct an intervention on your own, the best results usually occur when the event is run by a professional interventionist. The interventionist will meet with you and other participants beforehand to plan the event and then guide the intervention as it occurs. The planning phase of the intervention is incredibly important. During it, you’ll determine who should be there at the event and what exactly should be said by each team member to the addict. The interventionist will help each member of the intervention team to shape the message they want to deliver to the addict. All messages are delivered in a spirit of love and support rather than judgment. Oftentimes, the interventionist will be responsible for taking the addict to treatment immediately following the intervention.
If you yourself need treatment, it’s time to take action today. There is no reason to continue another day in the hold of addiction. It will rob every aspect of your life until you truly have nothing left. Get the help you need today and get on the road to a healthy, fulfilling life. Pick up the phone and call us now.