That illegal drugs are a problem in the United States is obvious to many Americans. Finding ways to deal with the problem, however, is something of a problem in itself.

Alexander Ward listed in Politico some suggested solutions by various members of the U.S. congress, including at least one suggestion to bomb Mexico. (“GOP embraces a new foreign policy: Bomb Mexico to stop fentanyl,” April 10, 2023)

Targeted strikes against drug lords, labeling drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, and other ideas have been suggested by members of congress.

I’m hardly qualified to suggest ways to defeat drug cartels. However, I suggest that one way of battling illegal use might be to examine why so many Americans fall into the illegal drug trap in the first place.

After all, if Mexican cartels disappear tomorrow, other cartels in other countries will step into the market. If the market is there, sellers will rise to meet the demand. All sorts of different ways exist to overcome U.S. efforts against drug sellers.

What can we do to unhook Americans off drugs?

We could begin by exploring the question from a different angle: Why do some Americans, especially young Americans, avoid drugs?

I would think that families and care givers who love and support their children are the most important factor in raising drug free children. That is not to say that such families will never have children who become drug users. It would be of no help to parents who dearly love and support their children when a tough world finds a way to warp their children’s lives.

It is merely to say that parents who are able to love and support and spend time with their children are the best defense against habits that might destroy those children.

What can we do to encourage parents to be parents?

Begin with the basics: no child should go hungry or not have a secure place to sleep at night. As some cities try to help the homeless, provide special care to families and to parents.

This includes safe spaces to eat and sleep, but it also can include support to parents who might have a problem with drugs themselves to stay drug free. It can support as well any programs to help parents find jobs and learn useful skills.

The goal is a society which rids itself of harmful drug use by becoming a productive society and one less likely to seek harmful drugs.