Drugs are a serious issue and should not be taken lightly. There is no secret that drugs are out there and that they are easily accessible to anyone at anytime. I say this, because I am one of the fortunate and lucky individuals who purchased drugs and took them and did not die or go to jail for this. I thank my lucky stars everyday that I am alive and that I realized how terrible drugs are for any human. Sonny, a character from James Baldwin's story as well as his brother, was not so lucky he did go to jail and rightfully he should have because what he did was against the law. At least his life was spared and he did not die. There needs to be more awareness and harsher punishments for violators who do not abide by the laws that pertain to drugs. Anyone who consumes drugs is slowly killing themselves. As for the individuals who are selling drugs they are murders. In any case taking drugs has tremendous affects on ones body or ones surroundings. People who take these drugs can come in all ages, race, and color.
             One of the many ways an individual could purchase drugs is through a friend, someone you trust and in many cases that's why many people take the drugs because their friends have and they seemed to be ok. We trust these individuals and perhaps that's another reason why people feel it's ok to take these drugs. Another way an individual can get drugs is through a complete stranger on the street. This is how Sonny got his fix, someone on the street. No matter how one purchases or gets drugs it is essentially against the law. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) in the 2002 87 million Americans age 12 or older (39% of the population) reported illicit drug use at least once in their lifetime. That is depressing, over a quarter of population has tried drugs.
             Educating the public with better information and more frequently is the solution. If Sonny had that kind of aw...