White House Official Says Drug Addiction Is A Public Health Issue, Not A Crime

[kpete]

White House Official Says Drug Addiction Is A Public Health Issue, Not A Crime
By Intern on Jun 12, 2012 at 9:00 am

Gil Kerlikowske, President Obama’s top adviser on drug policy and director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, gave a speech yesterday arguing for the treatment of drug addiction as a public health issue, not a crime. “Drug addiction is not a moral failing on the part of the individual, but a chronic disease of the brain that can be treated,” said the White House drug czar. Kerlikowske argued that the paradigmatic shift in policy focus is necessary because an emphasis primarily on incarceration and the criminal status of drug users fails to treat the problem by disregarding prevention, treatment, and recovery:

According to estimates from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 8 percent of Americans age 12 or older – about 21 million people – needed but did not receive substance abuse treatment at a specialty facility in 2010.

We are taking a close look at laws meant to deter drug use that unintentionally hurt people on the path to recovery. Research from the National Institute of Justice found 38,000 state and local statutes that impose additional penalties on people convicted of crimes-including drug-related crimes.

These laws burden people who have already served their sentences-in other words, they have already paid their price back to society. We must modify or repeal laws that keep a qualified person in recovery from getting the basics they need to rejoin society.

http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012/06/12/497731/drug-addiction-public-health-issue/
http://news.yahoo.com/drug-czar-kerlikowske-promotes-paradigm-shift-abuse-181822773--abc-news-politics.html

[pinto]

1. Prevention, treatment, recovery.

Way too many drug-related incarcerations.

[oldhippydude]

2. BINGO!!!

someone "gets it"

[GObamaGO]

3. It is about time!

We need to stop wasting tax money on "fighting the war on drugs".

[midnight]

4. This is a great way to open a dialogue about all medical needs being addressed...

and how we can't treat people with public health issues like criminals....

[Schema Thing]

5. NOW WE ARE GETTING SOMEWHERE.

Tell you boss.

[Wounded Bear]

6. You'd think he'd be more careful about speaking truth in public like that.

Dangerous stuff, proposing science and medicine in answer to the drug problem.

Hard to fight a "War" with sentiment like that.

[RobertEarl]

9. Yep

He's probably been told to keep his bag packed.

[dixiegrrrrl]

7. Breaking: a burst of sanity got thru on the addictions front.

[kestrel91316]

8. I resent the implication that my use of medical marijuana shows

an ADDICTION. I am no more addicted to cannabis than a little old lady with arthritis is addicted to her motrin.

I guess I am addicted to getting a good night's sleep and going about my daytime activities pain-free. Like the majority of humans.

[Romulox]

10. Several of our DUers seem to disagree!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=799402

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=799037

[SalviaBlue]

11. They are absolutely right. This is how the problem should be approached. eom

[eaglesfanintn]

12. What about the job creators?

How will these private prison companies survive without the thousands of citizens locked up for smoking pot? See, the Obama White House is against jobs....

[riderinthestorm]

13. Bravo!! Sanity on the issue! I hope Obama's listening. K&R nt

[abelenkpe]

14. So end the war on drugs. Nt

[morningfog]

15. He is right. Recommend.

[Comrade Grumpy]

16. Cheap, meaningless blather.

If drug addiction is a public health issue, not a crime, why are we arresting 1.8 million people a year on drug charges?

If drug addiction is a public health issue, not a crime, why does most of the federal drug budget go to cops?

The drug czar can change the rhetoric--he doesn't want to say "war on drugs" anymore--but the reality is the same old drug war continues.

[librechik]

17. "61% of Colorado residents (swing state) say they will vote to legalize marijuana"

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_state_surveys/colorado/61_in_colorado_favor_legalizing_regulating_marijuana

Inhale, Pres Obama
http://www.salon.com/2012/06/04/inhale_president_obama/

MJ initiative a factor in presidential election
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-06-08/will-romneys-push-to-win-colorado-go-up-in-smoke

[TBF]

18. Right - now what are we going to do about enforcement? nt

[librechik]

19. Unfortunately, the DOJ is a rogue agency which doesn't follow orders from Obama

and Holder won't. What gives? it's hands off from this admin, they won't even appoint new personnel without backing down.

[frylock]

20. well this is certainly off-message. i expect it to be walked back tout de suite.

[steve2470]

21. So true. The RW will distort this to say OMG ILLEGAL DRUGS ARE OK WITH OBAMA !!!11!!!

If it isn't walked back, I will be impressed.

[Doctor_J]

22. More trial balloons?

A month ago Biden let slip that he was for gay marriage, despite the fact that the prez is against it. Now BHO is on board. Now despite the fact that the DoJ has been aggressively prosecuting drug users, another administration official comes out in favor of decriminalization. Hmm...

[cyberpj]

23. I hope they're including ALCOHOL as one of the addictive substances deserving treatment. nt

[Tom Ripley]

25. Heavens no! Alcohol is the privileged substance in this country

[cyberpj]

30. I know. I was just typing out loud.

Alcohol has torn a rather large path of death and destruction through 3 generations of part of my family.

I know people will never consider it a drug.

But I've seen people who have used it and over-used it until it took more and more and more to 'satisfy' their need for a high, ruined their lives, made them physically sick when they didn't have it, AND stole their money, self-esteem and ability to lead a normal life --not to mention their families.

To me, that's a drug.

[Tom Ripley]

31. I'm right there with you

I also have watched it destroy people I love. It is certainly a drug.
It infuriates me how our culture promotes its use while demonizing far more benign substances.

[ThomThom]

24. well that's a start

so now stop locking people up and give them the help they need

[Phhhtttt]

26. KICK!!!

[Uncle Joe]

27. Kicked and recommended for compassion, logic and sanity.

Thanks for the thread, kpete.

[woo me with science]

28. Okay, those are pretty words. Where are the policies?

Still going after medical marijuana?

[Meiko]

29. It's about time

We have way to many drug addicts locked up doing seriously hard time, If we are going to bring this country around we are going to have to deal withe the drug issue. The place to start would be to stop all L/E action against marijuana and it's users. You get caught with some bud you walk, they don't confiscate your dope or your car. The money they save not chasing bud could be used to set up rehab programs so we can get these non-violent drug users out of jail and on the right path. There would also be a lot of jobs created.

Obama could be the one who solved Americas drug problem if he wanted to, he would be hailed as a national hero.