This month has revealed just how deeply-rooted drug abuse is within sporting communities. Parents have had a lot to talk about with their kids thanks to the Michael Phelps weed video, and with Alex Rodriguez admitting he used steroids while playing with the Texas Rangers. When kids ask, "Why is using drugs a bad thing? A-Rod did it." – it can be hard to give a clear cut answer.  Out of all the recent buzz on drugs, President Obama was asked for his reflections on the matter. He gave a clear outline of the reasons why athlete drug abuse is depressing and just wrong.

It’s true – there are no shortcuts, not in sports or in life. If you want to achieve a lifelong goal or dream, it takes time and effort. When people choose shortcuts, they end up cutting themselves short. Real strength takes effort and hard work to build, and even though it is a slow process, there is visible improvement over time. When given guidance and long-term support, it takes away the pressure and stress that sometimes inhibits young adults from achieving their goals. Reassure the young person in your life and let him or her know that they have your support. Sometimes that’s all it takes to encourage someone to take the high road instead of a shortcut.   

At times the courts mandate that certain individuals must be committed to a drug rehab facility against his or her will. This is beneficial in multiple ways for the addict. For instance, this court-ordered treatment keeps the drug abuser out of jail and it also provides the person with an otherwise unaffordable option. However, the addict must make a conscious decision to stop using.

That being said, studies have shown that after 3 months in a program, an addict’s chances of having a relapse are decreased. Statistics show that the motivation for entering into a rehab facility has little influence over the ending result and if the addict stays in rehab as long as the court mandated, the probability of the addict staying sober is greatly increased.

A great example is a new study done by students at Kent University, Court-ordered drug treatment reduces offending, explains how court ordered drug rehab can be a successful motivator for Recovery.  In some cases, it can be what saves a person from walking down the path that addiction leads us.

Also it is important to remember, according to United Nations International Drug Control Program, Vienna, 2003, “Length of stay in structured residential settings and continued recovery work are the clearest predictors of continued abstinence.” So it is not only important to court order someone to addiction treatment, but also be sure that it is for longer than a 28-day ‘spin-dry’ experience.