The national touring exhibit developed by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the DEA Educational Foundation, Drugs: Costs and Consequences, formerly known as Target America, opens on Jan. 11 in Northern Virginia.
In this interactive exploration of the effects of drugs on both individuals and society, visitors will have the opportunity to explore the history and the current science behind drug law enforcement and drug prevention.
The exhibit has been experienced by more than 22 million visitors in 10 cities across the country in the last 10 years. Drugs: Costs and Consequences explains the science behind illegal drug addiction, and the countless costs and consequences of illegal drugs to individuals, American society, and the world. Visitors will experience a drug investigation from start to finish, helping them understand the environmental effects of drugs and what law enforcement, drug abuse education, and treatment are doing to break the troubling cycle of drugs and drug-related violence. They will view an actual South American jungle coca processing lab and a re-created Afghan heroin factory as well as analyze brain-scans in a simulated MRI machine and view real wreckage from a drug related car accident. A portion of Drugs: Costs and Consequences will focus specifically on Northern Virginia, exploring the evolution of heroin abuse and enforcement in the area.
“DEA proudly presents this unique experience that is aimed at educating young people in Northern Virginia to the dangers of drugs and the harrowing effects that drugs place on our communities. This exhibit will provide ample insight into DEA’s fight against the world’s most deadly drug trafficking organizations and the programs that we have implemented to prevent drug abuse and addiction,” said Karl C. Colder, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Washington Field Division, in a news release.
Drugs: Costs and Consequences was developed in partnership with The DEA Educational Foundation, The Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, The U.S. National Guard, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, The Office of National Drug Control Policy, and CADCA. The exhibit is free to attend.
For more information on the exhibit and a list of cities where will travel, visit www.deamuseum.org.
