March 28, 2009
Reducing harm of garbage
Normally I talk about reducing harm associated with drugs but this time we are going to shift gears a little and talk about garbage. Could companies not save money by using less packaging? Just an idea, not only would it increase their profits but it would decrease waste in the dumps which would reduce harm generated due to garbage. It is unavoidable, we are going to have garbage. However, it is apparent we need more effective ways of dealing with it.
March 15, 2009
How can reducing harm not only help those who do drugs but it helps society!!
Thinking about harm is something that is slightly obsessive-compulsive for me, I am not sure why I do it so much; maybe it was due to always thinking about focusing on harm for the past 10 years if not longer. I don't necessarily think that when it comes to harm reduction it always has to be about the drugs, it can be an approach that takes the drug use into consideration but ultimately all interventions should be reduced at reducing harm. It only makes sense, why would we want to implement any other type of program?
The programs today however, they don't think of harm, they think of how much drug use there is and that it must be stopped immediately and at any cost. But who does this cost? (poor people, minority groups) What harm does this approach have on people who happen to choose to use illicit substances (alcoholics and smokers don't have this problem when they want to receive help) and can't stop? Why isn't that question asked?
Reducing harm is very difficult when the solution is prohibited pretty much around the world. The solution is to end the war on drugs and take the approach of human rights, health and compassion. We need to begin to question the harm in all areas of life not just regarding drug use as that doesn't illustrate any type of harm to society only that drug use occurred. It doesn't necessarily mean harm as it is possible to use substances without becoming a drug addict, without causing harm to anyone and in fact, actually receive some benefit.
Harm comes from violence, anger, death and injury that results due to the prohibition of drugs not from the drugs itself as many people on this planet would have you believe. People will still use no matter how many enforcement activities are engaged in to stop it (also causing harm) as it is something that is natural, it is what humans do, take drugs. We can't determine harm on amount of drug use only, we need to think about their stress in life, the health and mental disorders present, and environment. So many things are important that influence the drug use that if managed more appropriately, the use may just reduce naturally such as stress and mental health issues.
REducing harm is the what is important, not people using drugs. That is a natural behaviour of humans and can never be changed, what can be changed is how harmful this use is? Does he drink and drive or catch a cab? Does he get oxygen support for his contuned smoking addiction to ensure he remains alive - it doesn't stop the addiction thought? Reducing harm!!
The programs today however, they don't think of harm, they think of how much drug use there is and that it must be stopped immediately and at any cost. But who does this cost? (poor people, minority groups) What harm does this approach have on people who happen to choose to use illicit substances (alcoholics and smokers don't have this problem when they want to receive help) and can't stop? Why isn't that question asked?
Reducing harm is very difficult when the solution is prohibited pretty much around the world. The solution is to end the war on drugs and take the approach of human rights, health and compassion. We need to begin to question the harm in all areas of life not just regarding drug use as that doesn't illustrate any type of harm to society only that drug use occurred. It doesn't necessarily mean harm as it is possible to use substances without becoming a drug addict, without causing harm to anyone and in fact, actually receive some benefit.
Harm comes from violence, anger, death and injury that results due to the prohibition of drugs not from the drugs itself as many people on this planet would have you believe. People will still use no matter how many enforcement activities are engaged in to stop it (also causing harm) as it is something that is natural, it is what humans do, take drugs. We can't determine harm on amount of drug use only, we need to think about their stress in life, the health and mental disorders present, and environment. So many things are important that influence the drug use that if managed more appropriately, the use may just reduce naturally such as stress and mental health issues.
REducing harm is the what is important, not people using drugs. That is a natural behaviour of humans and can never be changed, what can be changed is how harmful this use is? Does he drink and drive or catch a cab? Does he get oxygen support for his contuned smoking addiction to ensure he remains alive - it doesn't stop the addiction thought? Reducing harm!!
What effect does decriminalization have on the person's perception of themselves?
Harm is often thought of coming only directly from the use of the drug but this isn't always the case. How about the harm that occurs when people think they are doing wrong even when they are not? This occurs a lot in our culture; people feeling guilty even though they shouldn't.
For addicts this is especially bad as they are doing something that everyone finds offensive and that is abusing psychoactive substances. It isn't as bad for alcoholics but for those individuals that use heroin, cocaine, and other illicit substances, it can lead to extreme harm as they are feeling guilty for doing something they can't seem to stop themselves from doing even though they want to but can't and they feel it is their fault. It isn't. It is their brains fault. The person is not to blame in anyway but by prohibiting actions that people do when they are ill is to try to attempt to prohibit the action even though it is beyond the person's capacity of stopping thus making them into a criminal. Society perceives them to be criminals and as such the person begins to view themselves in this manner as well.
What would happen to the perception that individuals have about themselves if all drugs were decriminalized and regulated?
When people have negative self concepts this leads to harm. These people tend to not care about themselves consistently, engage in self-destructive and high-risk behaviours, and they tend to often lack tools to be able to help themselves due to negative upbringings and horrible complex trauma thus keeping them stuck and unable to reduce harm to themselves as well as potentially increasing harm to society.
Reducing harm is the focus, how can decriminalization and regulated market help addicts heal from self loathing, guilt and shame? Could this lead to a reduction in harm even through no change in actual drug use levels occurred?
For addicts this is especially bad as they are doing something that everyone finds offensive and that is abusing psychoactive substances. It isn't as bad for alcoholics but for those individuals that use heroin, cocaine, and other illicit substances, it can lead to extreme harm as they are feeling guilty for doing something they can't seem to stop themselves from doing even though they want to but can't and they feel it is their fault. It isn't. It is their brains fault. The person is not to blame in anyway but by prohibiting actions that people do when they are ill is to try to attempt to prohibit the action even though it is beyond the person's capacity of stopping thus making them into a criminal. Society perceives them to be criminals and as such the person begins to view themselves in this manner as well.
What would happen to the perception that individuals have about themselves if all drugs were decriminalized and regulated?
When people have negative self concepts this leads to harm. These people tend to not care about themselves consistently, engage in self-destructive and high-risk behaviours, and they tend to often lack tools to be able to help themselves due to negative upbringings and horrible complex trauma thus keeping them stuck and unable to reduce harm to themselves as well as potentially increasing harm to society.
Reducing harm is the focus, how can decriminalization and regulated market help addicts heal from self loathing, guilt and shame? Could this lead to a reduction in harm even through no change in actual drug use levels occurred?
reducing harm
This will be filled with thoughts and information about reducing harm. It is important and really essential to life. We need to openly discuss without persecution for alternative solutions to prohibition and the abuse of addicts in society today.
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