As America moves towards a healthier society, we are progressing in removing drug prohibition and ending the so-called “War on Drugs”. Actions have been taken in legalizing soft drugs, such as Marijuana, and prescription drug substitutes have been created for the recovery of hard drugs, such as heroin and methamphetamines. In addition, there has been a decrease in televison advertisements for non-medical soft drugs, such as alcohol and cigarettes. All in all, we, the people of the United States, are becoming the role model for ending the global drug war.

Although the legalization of Marijuana is receiving much media coverage, prescription drug substitutes are not receiving the attention that is needed for the success of this operation. We need a prescription street drug substitute marketing campaign that not only targets addicts that want to recover from using the drug, but those that want to reduce drug use health risks. By igniting an advertisement movement of legal street drug substitutes, we will reduce health risks and overdoses, and increase the number of recovering addicts. In addition, we will reduce the rate of crime committed by addicts who cannot afford the high price of a street drug and in the long run, put the black market out of business.

The kindling of the advertisment movement of legal street drug substitutes will require much effort from different sources, including employers, doctors and pharmaceutical companies. First, increase marketing and sales advertisements for pharmaceutical drugs such as vapes, methadone and dextroamphetamine sulfate. The cost of subsitute prescriptions needs to be low enough that it does not force addicts into crime.

Second, encourage open communication between doctors and patients. Doctors can open the door to addicts by advertising prescription drug substitutes in their offices. A wall poster educating people about the benefits of using a street drug substitute would be suffice. This would encourage an addict to consider the prescription over the street drug and ask their doctor more questions. Doctors will have to keep in mind that an addict may not want to recover, but reduce health risks or overdoses. This understanding could only be sought by open communication with a patient and discussing the benefits the patient will gain by using the legal street drug substitute.

Third, provide health insurance or prescription drug discounts to all U.S. Citizens. Without health insurance, buying prescription drugs is costly, and not all U.S. employers abide by the Obama Care Act. Meanwhile, prescription drug discount cards have been developed, and marketing campaigns that target doctors’ offices are being initiated. These cards are great for people who don’t have health insurance or prescription drug coverage. Publicize them more.

The results of the these actions will improve the United States status as a global role model in abolishing the inhuman acts of the drug war. We are on the right path to returning from this so-called war that cost us priceless lives and money over the last century. Recovery will not be immediate, but the rate at which we have progressed through the last decade is outstanding. As we continue on this journey of improvement, we will soon reach the level of evolvement where the so-called “drug war” does not exist.