Quote:
Originally Posted by xelasnave
I think a good case can be made for managing the drug problem in society by treating it as a medical problem rather than a crime.
Making a drug illegal provides the opportunity for criminals to make money and one could wonder how crimes committed to obtain money to fund a habit may become less.
Prison numbers would be down I expect and less may need to be spent on police.
Drug abuse is the problem be the drug legal or not...well consumption in excess is the problem.
I can have a drink but I don't need one every day...many do.
Alex
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Alex,
I doubt anyone using drugs for the first time desires to be in the position where they have a dirty needle off their arm, while poised on the edge of a filthy Public Toilet. Drug addiction is a medical/social issue and needs to be addressed as a medical problem.
Responses to Opioids vary widely, some suffering chronic pain can vary their dosage of Opioids from virtually zero, to heavy doses, precisely reflecting their actual perceived pain level. Whilst others suffering from chronic pain only need a whiff of the stuff and they are ingesting ever escalating dosages, dosages that fail to reflect their actual level of perceived pain rather dosages that reflect their level of addiction.
The above explains why I believe we need to address all drug addiction (alcohol, tobacco etc
as a medical issue. What's more, I also believe that Morbid Obesity should be treated as a medical condition and lap band surgery and other surgical remedies to Morbid Obesity should be provided under Medicare.
I am a Liberal-Conservative, I have an abhorrence of reckless Public spending and on the surface of would appear a "least likely" advocate of the Public provision of Drug treatment (obesity) however, the long-term cost of carrying large number of addicts is extraordinarily high, so.... just address the issue asap and provide the services necessary to assist those addicted to drugs to regain their rightful place within mainstream society.