Drug rehabilitation is one of several drug treatment options for those suffering from drug addiction - or even alcoholism or other substance abuse. Tough government policies often make getting treatment more difficult, especially if abusers are sent to jails with no rehab facilities or programs. Serving time may encourage people to think twice about using drugs, but for some who are seriously addicted, prison provides no cure to their addiction.

That’s why some states across the nation are revisiting the local drug laws to force drug rehab onto offenders, instead of putting them into prisons. California is in the midst of a new proposition, called the Nonviolent Offender Rehabilitation Act (NORA). If passed, the Act will provide drug rehab services to people suffering from illegal drug addictions.

Not everyone thinks the policy will be successful. Actor Martin Sheen is reported by the Los Angeles Times to be against the proposition, because it affords drug abusers too many second chances without consequences. The topic is relevant and personal to Sheen - he has openly discussed his own struggle with alcoholism, and the difficulties his son Charlie Sheen has had with substance abuse. As someone who has experienced the negative aspects of alcohol and drug abuse, on his own life and the effects on his family, he has said it’s important to keep consequences into place - to stay tough on the issue of drugs.

Both points of view raise very good issues. Rehab can be forced on to someone, but unless the person wants to change, they won’t. If the Act passes, the state of California will need to have an excellent drug rehab program into place to ensure success.

There are a lot of misunderstandings and myths about drug and alcohol addiction. Any addiction that causes self-harm needs to be addressed. To recover from an addiction requires one very important thing: change. During the recovery process, former addicts must make a commitment to changing their attitudes, behaviors, and their entire lives. Leaving old habits isn’t easy, and the recovery process often has its fair share of ups and downs. It can be especially challenging for young people to push through those low points. At all stages of recovery, sometimes a little awareness and understanding can go a long way. It’s common for teens and young adults to ask questions, such as “why” it is so hard to recover from their addiction. An excellent way to gain some insight into the subject is through the addictions series of the National Public Radio (NPR) News and Notes program. The radio show can be heard over the airwaves or you can listen to specific segments via their website.

Young people also tend to feel lonely during the process, especially if they chose to get treatment when their peers did not. Even if teens have the support of their families and friends, they may still feel that those around them can’t understand what they are going through. A recent NPR segment takes “An Inside Look At Teens Battling Substance Abuse” and reveals the common reasons why teens become addicted and the challenges of the road to recovery. Sometimes programs like these are so valuable because it gives people an opportunity to hear someone else’s story and realize that the challenges of addiction recovery are tough to overcome for everyone.

All the time, young adults hear about the troubles their favorite singers got into for underage drinking or the car accidents from the actors/actresses who decided to drive drunk. Athletes, superstars, and role models everywhere are making poor life choices, giving teens and young adults the idea that it’s okay to drink alcohol or abuse drugs.

But not all celebrities have problems with alcoholism. In fact, there are more people in the public eye who don’t drink alcohol than you might think. Some used to be alcoholics and they gave up the drink to stay sober and clean up their lives. Samuel L. Jackson, David Bowie, and recently Gary Oldman learned to abstain from alcohol to get rid of its damaging effects.

Some people just don’t do alcohol, period. Take Bruce Lee for example. He didn’t drink or do drugs, because he believed in keeping his body clean – and his body was unbelievably healthy during his lifetime. CNN reported that legendary comedian Jay Leno “drinks no alcohol and says he’s never smoked a cigarette or a joint.” Wikipedia has a whole list of famous people who have decided not to drink alcohol, complete with sources for verification. It’s a positive resource, especially if you’re looking for some support or starting to think staying clean is impossible.

Everyone can make good life decisions or poor life choices – even celebrities.

1up.com had some interesting news to report about parents and their attitudes toward video games and underage drinking. In two polls conducted by What They Play (a gaming guide for parents), the results showed parents are more disturbed by their child playing a mature video game than they are about their child drinking alcohol.

Let’s take a moment to really visualize the scenario the poll presents. A teenager is at a sleepover and in one case he’ll drink alcohol and in the other case he’ll just play a mature video game that might features some form of alcohol consumption. Which scenario would concern you more?

Of course, neither situation is good. In an ideal scenario, as a parent, you would hope that you have talked with your child about drugs and alcohol enough that they would give you a call and leave that sleepover right away. Being put in that kind of a situation as a young adult is harsh, and unfortunately it is one of the tougher decisions that more and more teens have to make.

Another interesting result from the poll is that smoking marijuana was the behavior parents were most worried about. Although drugs have had a lot of media attention, drinking can be just as, if not more dangerous to the development of a young body and mind. Keeping teens clean from drugs, alcohol, and games that encourage drinking or doing drugs should be of equally high concern to parents.

To help curb those worries, parents can take a proactive approach. Try playing the games your child loves. Out of the hundreds of games made each year, help your child find the “cool” ones that aren’t filled with objectionable content. Let your teen host a sleepover, and let them plan the night’s food, drinks and activities. There are lots of ways to keep young adults entertained, but the key to keeping it clean is parent involvement.

According to the American Cancer Society over 550,000 people died from cancer in 2007. In that same year, anti-smoking campaigns and the increasing number of people who have quit smoking have been heralded as contributing to the decreasing number of people who have contracted and died from lung cancer. Unfortunately, there has been no such luck with decreasing alcohol consumption, despite its link to cancer.

Tests have shown that men who have more than 2 drinks a day and women who have more than 1 drink each day are at a higher risk for several different kinds of cancer. Alcoholics are at risk. Binge drinkers are at risk. If you are abusing alcohol in any way, you are likely to be at risk. There are some misconceptions like: men have stronger bodies and so they aren’t at risk or that women should only limit their drinking if they are pregnant or nursing; however, these ideas simply aren’t right. An increased risk in cancer is a common occurrence among both men and women who consume alcohol.

It is true that women who are pregnant or nursing have to beware of the side-effects alcohol can have on her child and shouldn’t drink. However, women should be concerned for their own health, as well. Research conducted by the American Institute for Cancer Research show there is evidence of alcohol increasing the risk of breast cancer, in addition to other cancers.

Unfortunately even with all of the studies, research and evidence many people still aren’t changing their habits. Spreading the word that alcohol has been linked to cancer is very important. Who knows what might happen if more people would drink less or quit altogether? Maybe we would see another downswing as we did with people quitting smoking.

There’s no question that using drugs to temporarily boost athletic performance is cheating and just plain wrong. Athletes should be proud to compete at the Olympics – only the best of the best are given a chance to compete in their sport at a global level. Olympic athletes aren’t just representing themselves, they are part of their country’s Olympic team and they have a responsibility to go out there, do their best, and make their nation proud. It’s unfortunate that some people are not confident enough in their own strength and will do anything – including cheat – to get a gold medal.

Numerous measures are in place to ensure everyone must rightfully earn their medals with their own strength and skill. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has put the pressure on governments to ensure their athletes are clean, but they are not relying on them to do the testing. Thousands of doping tests and blood tests are being conducted in Beijing to ensure fair play at the games this year. So far, the organization has said in a Sports Illustrated article that drug testing has been going well and the cheaters are being caught. These cheaters ruin the game for everyone and tarnish its legacy. Drugs really do ruin the Olympic dream for everyone.

There is no easy way to put a stop to substance abuse and young adult alcoholism. One method is enforcing underage drinking laws. Perhaps one of the most crucial prevention techniques is reducing access young people have to alcoholic beverages. Identification and carding programs nationwide have strict guidelines and consequences, ensuring that those selling alcohol are doing their part to prevent teens from getting drunk.

In New York, local news reports that during a concert series held in North Tonawanda, people underage could purchase alcohol despite a stringent identification and wristband policy in place. Officials revoked the sponsor’s alcohol permit. Revoking their permit means alcoholic beverages cannot be sold at the concert venue, but it doesn’t stop people from bringing it into the event. With three more concerts in the series, stores in the local area should take greater care and do their part to keep alcohol out of minors’ hands. If they don’t, hopefully law enforcement will be on hand to insist on compliance with the laws. Keeping young people sober and reducing the number who need alcohol rehab is not something to be taken lightly.

Children, parents and drugs do not mix. The results of mixing drugs into any life are usually catastrophic, and the situation only becomes more heartbreaking when it involves parents and their kids. Parents who use drugs give their children early exposure to drug abuse and a self-damaging lifestyle, regardless of age.

New parents who abuse drugs and alcohol are endangering not only their own life, but the life of their child. Drugs and alcohol can give newborns severe complications, some even die a few moments after birth, if not before. Taking drugs while pregnant or nursing passes life threatening effects onto the child. For this reason, parents abusing drugs or alcohol are abusing their children and in many states, they may lose custody of their kids and end up in jail. Many organizations are calling for local governments to consider drug rehabilitation programs as an alternative to this increasing problem.

Unfortunately, as people age it becomes a bit more difficult to make huge lifestyle changes. That’s part of the reason why it is so important for young adults to get treatment for their addiction early on. If they do not receive any treatment, it’s likely their drug abuse habits will continue to take hold of their lives. Finding successful addiction treatment when you’re older is not impossible. An interesting feature in the Southeast Missourian details how several older women have struggled with their addictions and found suitable drug rehab programs in their older age, despite numerous issues.