Every year, 33,000 deaths occur, all attributed to drug overdoses. There are many things that are hard to do in society, like buying cars or getting a job. One of the easiest things in today’s society is obtaining drugs. Many peoples’ lives have been ruined by addiction to drugs. Many times, it starts with simply a taste at a party. Usually, it ends with death or jail. Addiction is a hard road, and has claimed many lives. I hope that when you are through reading my opinion, you will decide that addiction is something you don’t want your life to be claimed by.

In my experience, there is nothing good to come out of drug use. When I met my boyfriend, he smoked marijuana. At that time, he didn’t care about much, and made irresponsible choices in life. Over the past several months, he was able to quit and clean himself up. Now he’s capable of being responsible. Over this time he has recounted his past experiences, and helped show me that drugs can turn people into monsters, and ruin lives. In the height of his addiction, he was willing to go to any lengths to support his drug habit. My boyfriend tells me that at the time, he had lost himself, and motivation to excel at anything but his addiction. I am thankful now for his contribution to this paper, and that he has cleaned up and learned from his experience.

As I walk through the halls in school, I hear many kids talk about the party they were at the previous night, or how they are going to pick up drugs after school. I have even seen a boy smoking weed on his way in to the school. It is so easy for kids or even people in general, to get their hands on drugs these days. Often times, the kids will take medicine right out of their parents bathroom cabinet. Most of the time, it is as easy as walking next door or down the road. I believe the main contributor to this drug epidemic are doctors themselves. Doctors prescribe pills for nearly everything. It is as easy as walking into the doctor’s office complaining about pain in this or that, anxiety, or not being able to sleep. As I leave school, I think about these things wondering what kind if society the following generations have to grow up in.

When i was younger, the type of guys my mom would choose as boyfriends seemed nice but they all had their moments when they would snap, as I got older I understood why. They were all addicted to one drug or another. They would hit her or snap at us when they would go hours without a drag of this or injecting that. None of the previous boyfriends she had could stop no matter what, they all did them and when she’d leave they would end up in jail for possession. Each boyfriend got worst in time; one went as far as selling our stuff to get his hand on drugs. He eventually overdosed and died of his addiction to heroin. Overdosing is however, preventable. My boyfriend was on the same track as the men my mom dated until something changed his life. The summer following his junior year of high school, his parents drug tested him at home and found out he had a major drug problem. He was sent to rehab and was only supposed to stay one month, when his month was nearing its end, his eyes had been opened to his problem and requested more time. He ended up staying three months. After experiencing what I did as a child and dating my boyfriend I have realized drugs are not a path I want to go down. Listening to all his stories and watching friends choose drugs over true friends, seeing where it took them, makes me realize that before I even tried doing drugs it is not the path in life I want.

Addiction has claimed many lives, and has affected many people close to me. Someone once told me that wisdom is learning from experience, but that it does not necessarily have to be my own experiences. I have learned much from watching other people, and listening to stories of my boyfriend’s past. Though it is easy for most people to get their hands on their particular drug of choice, it is not something I want for myself. There is no high worth giving my life for. In my opinion, drugs ruin lives and take people on a roller coaster that is very hard to get off of. Someone once said to me weed is the most beautiful plant and I replied yes, but it makes people ugly.