[gjenkins]

"Once one unpacks all the issues hidden behind drugs."

The author doesn't even begin to 'unpack the hidden issues'. He is just picking at the scabs. Addiction and compulsive behaviors are symptoms of something wrong alright, but the problem is deeper and will not be solved by throwing some drug users in jail.

[Mikey]

Exactly. Theres always some underlying reason why they do as they do. Some people would rather blame the drug or the gun as the reason someone is either strung out or kills someone. They won't get to the underlying reason. Oh its the drugs fault (not the user). Oh its the guns fault, not the one who pulled the trigger.