As you have read or heard in the news, the United States is facing a major heroin and prescription opioid epidemic. Every night on the evening news, local stories put faces on this national issue.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) takes this epidemic seriously. Since 2002 it has been travelling a free 5,500 square foot, exhibition: Drugs: Costs and Consequences, that looks at the impact of illicit and abused drugs.
Most Americans are unaware of the tremendous costs associated with the production, sale, and use of illegal drugs. The costs to society—estimated at more than $200 billion a year—are borne by all of us in some way. Despite the fact that the vast majority of Americans are not drug users, we pay for users’ loss productivity, their health care, criminal justice costs, child welfare costs, and the impact their drug use has on their own health and safety.
Drugs: Costs and Consequences is designed to open eyes to the science behind illegal drug addiction and the myriad costs of illegal drugs—to individuals, American society and the world—and to provide food for thought on how each and every one of us can make a difference. Drugs: Costs and Consequences began a national tour in 2002. With newly expanded content and a section specific to your area, the exhibit presents both a global and historical overview of the many costs and consequences of drugs on society.
By targeting at-risk audiences such as elementary, middle, and high school students, this exhibit provides critical information on the dangers of drugs to young people who may never hear this information from any other credible source. Many Americans are unaware of the documented damaging effects of drug abuse on the mind and body. The exhibit not only showcases the role and impact of federal and local drug law enforcement, but also presents current neuroscience research designed to impart the knowledge and create the understanding necessary to break the cycle of drug abuse. Lessons learned from this exhibit provide a powerful stimulus in reducing drug abuse among our nation’s youth.
To date, Drugs: Costs and Consequences has been visited by over 22 million students, teachers, and educators. An important component of the exhibit is the “local story,” created specifically for your community. It highlights the current struggles and trends regarding illegal drugs throughout your region.
Due to budget cuts, many schools have little or no money for school buses for field trips. That is why our partners will work with you to raise funds to underwrite school buses for field trips to ensure the powerful message contained in the exhibit is heard by those who need it most. We need to make sure that our future—our children— will have every opportunity to view the exhibit.
Wit Ostrenko, President & CEO, Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) in Tampa, Florida, wrote, “This is the most important exhibition that MOSI has ever done. Of the one million people that came to visit the science center, this is the one. This is so important. As a scientist I can give you an easy thing to remember. Drugs kill. Your heart stops then your brain dies.”
If you are interested in helping your community understand the entire story, please consider hosting this exhibition. For more information, please contact me at [log in to unmask].
Thanks.
Laurie A. Baty
Museum Director
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