Eliezer8687:
Rabbonim and other community leaders are not just burying their heads in the sand. They suffer from a dramatic level of ignorance. Most cannot repair automobiles, so we are fortunate that most people don’t ask for eitzos about engine trouble. If we would, the damage from these pieces of advice could be costly. If these rabbonim would learn a bit about what drugs are, as well as the nature of addiction, they would be better equipped to respond. But the microscopic knowledge they have on the subject leaves them feeling highly experienced and expert, when in reality they know nothing of the subject. That is not a put down. Every one of us is ignorant about something. As long as we refrain from advising on the subject, we are fine. But if we claim to be capable of guiding someone in a matter where our knowledge is limited, there is a problem. The denial is not only failing to recognize the problem, but believing that they understand it when they really don’t.