LogFAQs > #898985869

RCtheWSBC posted...

The war on drugs is a societal failure to address a complicated problem. Further criminalization and drastic punishments will not address the systematic issues. They will continue to target low-income and minority groups disproportionately to the rest of the population.

I'm sorry about your friend and his family. Addiction needs to be treated as a health concern instead of solely a criminal one if we seriously want to reduce the costs to society.

Absolutely correct. The drug war is a failed policy perpetuated by certain powerful interests who make huge money from civil asset forfeiture. Treating addiction is both far more humane and less costly than building more prisons and paying to lock people up. America, the supposed "land of the free," incarcerates more people per capita than the likes of Russia or China. Not only does that fail to solve the underlying problem, the human and economic toll is enormous. People in jail lose their jobs and can't provide for their dependents, which costs even more taxpayer money. Families suffer and fall apart. Even when they're released, they struggle to readjust and find work, leading many to relapse or become drug dealers themselves. Even if people wanted to seek out help for illegal substance use, many don't for fear of going to jail. I seriously drove by a billboard once with two signs: the top one asked if you needed help with addiction, the bottom one asked you to report anyone taking illegal drugs. Who in their right mind would call the first number with that second sign right underneath it? Drug use needs to be decriminalized and treated as the health problem it is.