http://www.straight.com/article-265288/canadas-war-drugs-bucks-global-trend
This was a great article about how the drug war really isn't winning anything aside from choas and mayhem surrounding us. Not only is it doing this but it is increasing addiction rates otherwise, why would Portugal's rates of abuse be going down?
Although this is no doubt a great article it still misses a key point to drug consumption that all articles miss and that is what about the drug user?
Even cocaine, heroin, LSD and others have users who do not abuse. How should they be helped with forced treatment? I have heard through rumor from a good source that those arrested for simple possession of marijuana are being forced into treatment in the decriminalization measures implemented back in 2001.
To me, this is not decriminalization as you are still being assumed to be doing something wrong as you need treatment for this wrongness. It however, is not wrong to use drugs, abuse and become addicted to is more being sick then wrong but use isn't being sick or doing anything wrong. Using drugs is as natural as having sex or eating and sadly, we are moralizing something after years of moral entrepreneurship by groups from all over the world.
We are scapegoating drugs to be a problem in society but really they are a symptom that something is wrong, not the problem itself.
Drug abuse and addiction goes up when people are unhappy. Happy people don't smoke crack or inject heroin. They may decide to use LSD, cocaine or pot for fun due to the effects it gives them but the next day is back to their lives and the happiness they feel just from living soberly. Drug addicts can't feel this as it has been taken from them and drugs give them that happiness and belonging we all crave so deeply.
This weekend is a weekend of my idols at the CSSDP in Vancouver, BC at the SFU Campus in Burnaby. People like Dr. Gabor Mate, Mark Haden, Kirk Tousaw, Rielle Capler and more. I am so excited. I have met these people aside from Dr. Mate and Rielle Capler and this is going to be an honor. Who thinks it is cheesy if I take my copy of In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts to be signed?
Think about what prohibition does to the world, not just to the drug dealers and users. It hurts us all!
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SPEAKING from twenty five years of addiction and seven in recovery, having many close friends who are still addicted and close friends who have died, I feel qualified to state a point or to about addiction and the disease and the lifestyle the obsession the pain the so called joy of substance abuse and so on. I'm sure your so called understanding of drugs and the freedom in which you describe the reality from your perspective has been well researched at the back of a box of corn flakes. ''YES I SAID CORNFLAKES'' editor@2010homelesschampions.ca
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post.
ReplyDeleteThere are some times in it that I felt I understood you, but there are other times..not so much.
You are right that some people can go out and drink and have a good time and then move on without any issues. However, anyone using LSD, Cocaine or a drug like that is eventually looking for trouble down the road. If they do not become addicted they will become physically dependent.