We have been overwhelmed with recent news of public figures and teen “idols” getting into trouble with drugs and checking into high priced rehab centers that seem to resemble more of a vacation destination than a self improvement drug rehab. From Al Gore III, to Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan, it seems like the funds for rehab are unlimited while the majority of addicts trying to get help have spent all their money on their addiction and cannot afford to get into treatment centers without the assistance of federal or state funding. Usually these kinds of treatment centers have long waiting lists and substandard treatment due to low funding.
It saddens me to no end that public figures such as Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan are looked up to in many circles and considered to be idols with millions of little girls wanting to “be like” them when they grow up. That’s all well and good without the multiple DUI’s and drug offenses. It’s cool without the endless partying prior to the age of 21. These privileged young ladies party with limitless funds, then when they get caught they go to rehab for PR purposes and tell reporters that they’ll never do drugs again and tell police that they drugs aren’t theirs.
In my opinion, it’s not fair that these priveledged few should have opportunity after opportunity to pour out $60,000 for drug rehab when they aren’t taking it seriously, but millions of addicts who desperately need and want treatment cannot afford even a $10,000 drug rehab (on the very low end of privately owned drug rehabs). Millions of addicts try to get help at state or federally funded rehabs, but cannot wait several months for an open bed tend to find the understaffed and substandard treatment to be inadequate and ineffective.
Here’s my plan. For the celebrity addicts with more money than God and multiple drug offenses like Lindsay Lohan, along with paying $60,000 for a Malibu rehab, she ought to shell out some cash as a donation to the state and federally funded treatment centers. And not a couple hundred dollars, but let say…double what she pays for her own treatment. Not just Lindsay Lohan, but Al Gore III and others like them. This is his 2nd drug offense and 2nd time around in a drug treatment program.
I don’t hate these people or I think that they are bad human beings. They are more than likely addicts themselves and need help. But for those who don’t seem to take rehab seriously and go out to party right after completing treatment, perhaps something more is needed. If they don’t want to help themselves, maybe they’d be better served by helping those who truly want the help but lack the means. Drug rehab treatment is a big business, costing tens of thousands of dollars, but most know that addiction will rob an addict of everything and the first thing to go is usually money. So we are left with millions of addicts with no money to pay for the strongest life-line available to them. Those with the means to pay for drug rehab are very fortunate and by no means should take the golden opportunity of drug rehab for granted.
Not only that, but since Bush is giving such a huge tax break to the rich and affluent in our society, public health may be better served with that extra money going towards public drug rehabs and addiction education as well. Addiction is a huge problem in our world today and it cannot continue to be treated as a problem of the poor. It effects everyone with increased health care costs, incarceration expenses and drug related crime and deaths. The number of affluent people and public figures struggling with addiction has been on a steady rise over recent years with victims including Rush Limbaugh, countless musicians, and scores of actors and actresses. It seems to me that this would open the eyes of the public to the devastation of addiction and my hope has been that more would be done to help all who struggle with this disease. But that has not been the case. Effective help is still available for those who can afford it, but close to nothing has been done to make public treatment more effective for those who don’t have $50,000 at their disposal. If people can’t open their eyes, minds, and hearts to the widespread and devastating effects of addiction on their own, our government should consider provisions for tax break dollars and public figures with multiple offenses helping to pay for state and federally funded drug rehab centers.
Less affluent people struggling with addiction deserve to have a second chance at life every bit as much as those who just so happen to have millions of dollars in their bank accounts.
