It is agreed worldwide that drug and substance abuse and addiction is a colossal problem. A recent study on marijuana, for example, has revealed a rise in its use among teens as of 2013, a reverse of the previous years, where there had been a decline [sta12]. Drug use has devastating consequences such as health problems and addiction which has necessitated government agencies and national drug societies to put up measures meant to help drug addicts conquer their addiction state and enable them to lead normal lives. Treatment programs have been put in place with medications being administered to suppress the urge for cravings and effects associated with withdrawal. However, despite these efforts, little has been achieved as many of those who undergo such treatment programs eventually relapse into their chronic addiction state [Lea03].
While treatment is mainly aimed at stabilizing the drug user and to lower the chance of occurrence of relapse, there have been numerous instances where this has failed. Because of the high numbers of addicts going back into drug use, questions have been raised on the reliability of the methods used. While addiction to drugs can be successful managed just as other chronic diseases, there exist several factors that hinder the success of restoring addicts to normalcy. One of the reasons is that the rehab program is too short. Take for example the 30-day program. This time is usually too short for the physical stabilization of a body that had previously been exposed to long-term drug use. This should be extended, preferably, to a 90-day, which has particularly been noted to be effective for adolescents. This is necessary so as to enable the body adapt to the new physiology to which it is being subjected [Ric11].
Secondly, the failure in rehabilitation programs can be attributed to the lack of transition plans for the affected individuals. There should be a strategy put in place aimed at helping addicts get used to the anticipated new life.