[stan_kirdey]

I strongly disagree with the article. I work in the space and been involved in this topic for the last 20 years.

While the article claims that jails only worsen addiction, correctional facilities in the U.S. provide medically-supervised drug rehabilitation programs that have high success rates. Folks with substance use disorder are given medication for withdrawal and co-occurring mental health issues. There are withdrawal monitoring and detox programs at every facility. Some facilities started to offer MAT, which is currently gold standard of treatment.

The article fails to consider how addictive substances themselves, especially opioids, undermine one's autonomy and ability to connect with others. Opioids activate reward centers in the brain, inducing a sense of euphoria and pleasure that is difficult to resist (Volkow et al. 2014). Even a small dose of fentanyl, for example, can trigger an addiction with continued use (Kounang 2018); it is disingenuous to blame the "cage" alone when the substance itself chemically hijacks the brain. Genetics also predispose certain individuals to higher addiction risk, as addiction correlates highly with hereditary factors (Ducci et al. 2012).

The rise of fentanyl and other synthetic drugs has made "escaping the cage" of addiction nearly impossible for some. In some cities int he U.S. in 2023, a pill of fentanyl would cost as little as 50c. Counterfeit opioid pills containing fentanyl are extremely cheap, potent, and deadly, yet addictive to a point when a single pill can completely change direction of one's life.

[johnea]

And if every addict had good opportunity for a prosperous life, do you think the number of overdoses would increase or descrease?

The brain highjakcking still occurrs in a context.

While some people simply use for kicks, many others are trying to escape some intractable situtaion.

Improving life opportunities would only help reduce extreme addiction and overdose...

[stan_kirdey]

I think opportunities might help people avoid taking the drug in the first place, but from observations, even folks with seemingly great jobs and families often fall to opioids once they try them.

[girvo]

Those with seemingly great jobs and families often still have deep trauma that you don’t see. Signed, an ex heroin addict

[pas]

obviously (!) it means that the more things look like everything should be fine the less people find ways to be, to feel, to act as they actually are - non-fine, and due to this the more they can end up using more and more.

[pstuart]

We should not treat drug addiction as a crime -- it's a medical condition and should be addressed in that context.

That said, we need to find a way to institutionalize and treat those that have become non-functional from their addiction(s). And that power needs to be wielded with extreme transparency and accountability.

[stan_kirdey]

"we should not treat drug addiction as a crime" - I don't think anyone is saying otherwise

[standardUser]

Everyone is saying that, unless you think drugs materialize out of thin air? Because in reality, a drug user, drug seller and drug producer are all part of the exact same system, completely inseparable and entirely co-dependent on one another. Any differentiation we make is a fantasy we have devised to make ourselves feel better, like we're going after the "real" criminal, not the poor victim/user.

The only way to stop criminalizing drug use is to end the black market for drugs. Half measures like "decriminalization" simply leads to more and problems and solves nothing.

[8note]

Decriminalization is the thing you're looking for -- making people free to sell whatever drugs they want, rather than something like legalizing, which keeps the black markets intact

[standardUser]

"Decriminalization is the thing you're looking for "

That is not even remotely close to what I am looking for. No substance that is widely consumed by people should be produced or sold without comprehensive - if not excessive - formal processes to ensure purity.

Black markets only exists because states enable them. We have unlimited evidence that, when you allow people to produce and sell products and make a profit, even with significant regulations and enforcement, they will do so and usually not break the rules.

[Nursie]

Decriminalisation generally means taking away criminal penalties for possession but still having some penalty (usually the user must attend counselling), and keeping production and supply illegal.

Legalising is the 'full fat' solution which allows legal production and trade.

[pstuart]

Legalize, tax, and regulate.

Regulate includes public consumption: you can't drive while intoxicated, but also if you're nodding off from smoking fent on public transit that should be dealt with a trip to a treatment facility.

[pstuart]

The comment I was responding to was talking about it in the context of "correctional facilities". Likewise, the continued war on drugs literally makes addicts into criminals.

[xigency]

Placing the blame on the substance rather than society is an on-ramp to criminalization.

[bigbacaloa]

Why do you jail fentanyl addicts and not alcoholics?