The death of the war on the war on drugs (aka decriminalization)
We need a new active approach that LEADs addicts to treatment to avoid jail time and addresses the spiritual lack of God in their lives.
The war on drugs failed. The war on the war on drugs failed (aka decriminalization).
OD deaths have dramatically risen over the last 25 years.
My understanding of the Portugal approach (which works) is that they only decriminalized drug use if the user agreed to enter treatment. Otherwise regular jail time. The article talks about this approach towards the end, called LEAD “law-enforcement assisted diversion”.
As the police are the first on the scene at nearly all drug ODs it does make sense they 1) help treat the OD with antidote to safe the life of the person 2) they arrest them and LEAD them to treatment at a point in their life when they were probably at rock bottom, and more open to treatment.
PS the author does a good economic analysis on why the war on drugs failed due to price inelasticity of use - the addiction factor means that users don't care about price rises, and will steal to feed their habit. Future risk of arrest or injury are not counted when an addict is desperate for a fix...
My view - The drug crisis in US is a spiritual problem. People turn to drugs to fill a void in their lives from a lack of connection with God. The Matrix life of consumerism + 24/7 entertainment is devoid of God. And leads to much spiritual pain that addicts numb with drugs. Other Americans numb with shopping, TV, alcohol, porn etc. <— this is the real problem that our country needs to address to reduce drug use and ODs.
Here is the article with more details
