Creating public awareness is one of the most critical steps to helping people understand the nature of drugs in our country. Over the years, these dangerous substances, both legal and illegal, have paved a cavernous pathway through the United States and have destroyed millions of lives in the process. Now, as part of a new education effort, the Drug Enforcement Agency Museum has brought one of its exhibits to the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science to produce a combination of on-site and take-home resources for visitors. Entitled Drugs: Costs & Consequences, this new exhibit not only sheds light on the dangers of drugs in our country but may also help the residents of New Mexico, as well. Let’s take a closer look and find out some more information.
About the DEA Exhibit
As part of this recent effort, the DEA has partnered with the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science (NMMNHS), community groups (including Blake’s LotaBurger), and a panel comprised of members from federal and local law enforcement agencies to strengthen the impact and community involvement surrounding the new exhibit. Ultimately, “Drug: Costs & Consequences” has been designed to engage residents and local authorities to bring awareness to the influx of opioids, meth, and other illegal drugs across the U.S./Mexico border, a current problem in the south.
Formerly titled Target America, Costs & Consequences is a traveling exhibition sponsored by the DEA Museum and Education Foundation. As of now, the exhibit has visited 16 U.S. cities and has received an outstanding 22 million visitors. The showing was initially set up on January 26, 2019, and will conclude in Fall 2019.
New Mexico’s Drug Problem
Consider that, between 2012 and 2016, 2,465 New Mexico residents died as a direct result of drug overdoses:
- 86% of these incidences were accidental; and
- 60% of deaths were triggered by prescription drugs.
Ultimately, the DEA is hoping to target people who have felt the brunt of the drug crisis in the United States, particularly locals who have lost loved ones, including children, to addiction or overdoses. As NMMNHS Director Margie Marino explains, the DEA Museum, overall, hopes to help people understand how much harm drugs can cost and also find reprieve in a variety of resources.
Seeking Treatment for Drug Abuse or Addiction
Simply put, the more we expose the public to the positive and negative aspects of drugs, the more efficiently these men and women will be able to handle these substances. After all, if you were to have a chance to view a brain destroyed by drugs, wouldn’t you rethink certain practices in your life, including ones outside your control? Consider the fact that exposure to reality is the first step towards healing, especially for addicts. Through the continuing work of groups like the DEA, the public will be able to reiterate the phrase “knowledge is power.”
Are you suffering from a severe case of drug abuse or addiction? Is your friend or loved one also suffering from this sickness? In both cases, get in touch with Asana Recovery today. Our professional team of counselors and healthcare experts will help you endure the painful process of drug withdrawal and detox and guide you along the rocky road of rehabilitation. Soon enough, you will experience a faster and much more efficient recovery.
If you want to find out more about our residential treatment or supervised detoxification/withdrawal programs or enroll in one of these programs today, we are ready and waiting to speak with you at your leisure and your disclosure. Call Asana now at (949) 438-4504 to learn how you can overcome your mental illness and take an extra step toward becoming a healthier person.
