Most drug addicts do not fit their evil and despicable stereotype and do not deserve to be branded by the violent criminals who populate American prisons or to be denied future job opportunities because of poor judgment that plagued their lives long ago. However, we have yet to recognize drug abuse as a destructive behavior that must be addressed and resolved. Sentencing a drug addict to rot in a cell, then starting to use again almost immediately upon release, is wasting the country's tax dollars and wasting the precious life of a citizen. Instead that money must be invested in rehabilitation programs and to make those programs accessible to addicts through transportation, temporary housing, and other financial and emotional support as needed on an individual basis. However, if these agreements are respected and all the necessary tools for recovery are provided and the individual does not comply, the possibility of prison should still be present to dissuade the person from continuing on this destructive path.