Scotland The Grave!

We can't get into the World Cup, and we don't have any real role models in Scotland, except one we should not be proud of. Per head of population, it has now been confirmed that Scotland has the highest rate of Cocaine use in the... UK? No! Europe? No! Yes, you've guessed it, The WORLD! We are a nation stuffed full of junkies and we don't seem to think it deserves much media coverage. In the words of another, 'we can't even be bothered to be apathetic'!


We have all seen the evidence on our streets, at the GP Surgery, and even in our schools, and yet there are those who will shake their finger at us and say, it's not as bad as you think. These are nice people you know, and they have a lot of problems to deal with. You are lucky not to have their troubles to handle!


Get a grip! Our nation is tarred with being THE worst cocaine user in the world, and we sit back and accept it? Drug usage is a national scandal, and it is destroying many of our younger generation and turning them into zombies. And please do me the favour of not comparing them to drunks and alcoholics. They are different, and we have tolerated and accepted their blight on our communities and culture, and yes our children for long enough.


How about some facts? Drug addicts don't care how they get their money for the next fix. They don't care if they rob the same family who will try to support them. The crime rate for drug users is top in the police files for muggings, burglary, assault, disturbance, and right through to murder!  And we seem to sit on our hands and say we can't do anything about it. We have become 'Scotland the Grave' by our collective apathy.


What can be done? Personally, I think it has a lot to do with the breakdown of the family unit. Ok, don't all shout at once, of course there are many kids who live in a bad family unit, and don't turn to drugs, but don't make that the reason to dismiss the many, many addicts who have had a sad background of a broken and unhappy, even abusive family! These are the ones we are talking about. If Scotland had a better attitude to the family unit, and the responsibilities and challenges within it, we would have stronger and better adjusted children, who would be less likely to turn to drugs for their escape. Anyone who has followed any of my blogs will know that I am a strong advocate for the importance of good family units. It follows also that many young parents have already survived their own 'abusive' family unit, and that makes the work of raising their own children even harder. Take heart, I know good people who have bucked the trend of a bad start in life, and made a point of giving their children the kind of upbringing they didn't have! It can happen!


Changing our family attitude is the start and also the toughest part, but we need to do something about the ones who are still a 'threat' to our community. How about jailing them as soon as they get their FIRST drug related conviction? Not a slap on the wrist, and some community work while out to do it all again. Yes, give help and support, but from inside the prison, and don't let them out until the course of treatment has been finished! Sound tough? So is getting over any kind of crime or abuse to your property or family! One of the biggest problems will be our politicians, because none of them would want to see a rise in the crime rate, or certainly not put more offenders in jail. No, they want to reduce the number of offenders who will be in for six months or less. Guess who these offenders will be?... Right again, the drug users, who will not even benefit from any kind of treatment or therapy inside jail, where it should be done.


While we are at it, what about teaching some morality in our education system. You know, the progressive way of being bold enough to say what is right and what is wrong, and not to convince our children that it's ok if it makes you feel good, or you think it's right for you! The people who gave us that philosophy have failed, sold us down the river, and helped get us where we are today, so let's not have any more of that drivel. There are some things in this life which are without doubt, wrong, and should be seen and taught as wrong!


Unless we turn our nation's drug use around and make it anti social, we will evolve into an even worse country, with nothing to show for the heritage our ancestors left us, because we will have squandered it! Let's take an active part in returning us to a nation called, 'Scotland the Brave'!