hands across americaAnnouncing the Drug-Free Alliance

A non-profit foundation starts grassroots effort to support drug-free living


The fight against alcohol and drug addiction has taken on a much different meaning in recent years with the onslaught of prescription drug abuse in America. Never has it been more important to educate people in our society about the dangers of all drugs as it is now, when there are more than 23 million people in need of addiction treatment centers and 15 million taking prescription drugs non-medically.


According to the Center for Public Integrity, the legal drug makers employed over 1,200 lobbyists in the U.S. and spent more than $120 million on lobbying efforts to pass their agendas in 2004. The pharmaceutical industry is one of the most lucrative in the world, and the largest drug company profited just over $11 billion that same year.


The Drug-Free Alliance is an initiative of the Foundation for Social Improvement and is a grassroots movement designed to raise awareness of the harmful substances in our communities, both legal and illicit. The organization supports drug-free living through education and prevention along with drug-free policy and rehabilitation.


Drug prevention activities must work to provide young people with enough information to make the right choice to lead successful, drug-free lives, not try to teach them to use drugs 'safely' or in moderation. Substance abuse is one of the major downfalls of our world and is an underlying factor in many other social problems.


When it comes to rehabilitation, subjective diagnoses and the push from heavily-lobbied companies have perverted the addiction treatment field to the point where most programs try and put addicts on more drugs in an attempt to treat their symptoms. These drugs include such dangerous toxins as anti-psychotics, antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications, all of which carry devastating side effects and have no proof of helping long-term recovery.


Drug-free policy indicates supporting groups that are effective in reducing drug use and improving the quality of life for individuals, families and communities, not promoting new drugs to put them on. Drug-free rehabilitation with long-term success should be the ultimate goal, or we will simply continue trying to find a new patch for the new symptoms that were created by other failed attempts.


Everyday people can do their part by becoming more educated about the drugs that are being pushed on them every time they turn on the television or read a magazine. Take a stand against substance abuse by being responsible consumers and ask questions of drugs being prescribed. You can also join the Drug-Free Alliance and help create drug-free communities by being responsible for others in your life too.


© 2009 Drug-Free Alliance