Drug war issues, rant of how society treats addicts, my personal experiences, and ideas how to fix it. Give me your feedback! [x-post from /r/drugs]

There are a lot of controversial ideas about addiction. So many people are so ready to write off addicts. My main idea is that addicts are so much more than the disease. The main problem is society writing them off as that disease.

If society was more accepting and would realize addicts could easily go back to a normal clean life, the heroin epidemic we have right now wouldn't be happening. If an addict gets caught with a little bit of heroin, they are now felons. Almost impossible for most of them to get back into society. So they keep using.

If we got rid of EVERY possession prosecution, we would save BILLIONS of tax payer dollars, we could get millions of people back into the work force, in turn paying INTO taxes, not taking them. We could also reduce the cost of future convictions, fix broken families, stop the spread of aids, allow them to get loans for houses, apartments, etc so they don't rely on govt. sponsored programs.

If we were to decriminalize ALL personal amounts of EVERY drug, and focused on being accepting and welcoming to people who were/are addicted the problem would all but go away. No one wants to be addicted really once they've been in it long enough.

If we were to all realize that addicts are just normal people, addiction wouldn't be a lifelong disease. But because of the situation we put these people in, it's so hard for them to get out.

Everything about this war on drugs has failed, because it failed to help the root of the problem, the users themselves. As long as there's demand, someone will find a way to get it to them. We need to focus on helping those addicted, as well as stop draconian sentences on other drugs that aren't dangerous, addictive, or affect society in any way.

**Keep in mind, the ideas for rehabilitation and acceptance below assumes the user isn't using any addictive substances, but may be using occasional drugs like weed, the occasional beer, and maybe some psychedelics throughout the year.

These are ideas for moving past addiction, but still being treated as normal people without re-introducing the same problems & ideas that lead us here in the first place (IE: Once an addict always an addict / 3 strike laws / etc.) **

We need to stop the following:

-Making it so hard for people with possession to get a job, assuming they are pissing clean for addictive/habit forming drugs, ex-users can work just as hard a 'normal' worker.

-Denying student loans to people with possession arrests

-Making it near impossible to find housing, so we're often left looking in bad areas where drugs are abundant

-LOOKING DOWN ON EX USERS. Nothing is worse than feeling so inadequate. You're already feeling low because you were addicted and fucked up your life. We don't need it from you too.

-In contrast to that, the pity. We don't need you feeling sorry for us. If people really want to help, just treat ex-users normally -Following that, just treat them like you would treat anyone. Special treatment either way just helps extend the divide. Singling them out just wrongfully re-enforces the notion that they are one step away from fucking everything up again.

-That once an addict, always an addict. Obliviously that doesn't mean you should be able to go back to using oxy a few times a month no problem again. In that sense, it will never change. But the false notion all drugs are equal and that absolute sobriety is the only way I think is a very flawed notion. That being said, I think some people absolutely cannot touch drugs again. But, to some people, especially me, it's very important that I can exercise self control, as well as have a way to satisfy my urges without relapsing. Personally I use weed whenever I feel a lot of stress, need to unwind, have strong heroin urges, etc. As long as I'm not using it to constantly escape reality I find it isn't a problem. For that reason I don't allow myself to drink a lot, defiantly not by myself. I may have a few beers while with friends, but that's it.

-From that, I think any blanket generalizations about addicts are usually bad. Everyone is different, and more often than not people categorize people into these addict traits wrongly. But after hearing them for so long, people start to believe them themselves and start behaving the way they were told they were, even when they were nothing like that in the first place. Looking at you manic depression and other mental issues

-Lastly, solving the underlying mental issues. Now by this I think it's the most important thing that we are finally starting to do. And I don't mean things like group or talking to some crackpot psychologist or psychiatrist, who are the ONLY doctors today that never see the organ they are working with/fixing.

I mean real neuroscience. With modern advances in brain-scan technology, we can see way better than before exactly what our brain is doing, how it differs from other brains, and most importantly, the physical structures that cause the underlying mental issues.

For the first time, we can see where there are deficiencies in blood flow, neural transmitters, brain activity, "crosstalk", different regions working/not working together, etc. This means no longer do we have to play russian roulette with diagnosees and medication. We can for the finally see what exact medication to use, and most importantly, if it's working.

I'll bet you, like myself, most addicts start using to self medicate. If we can work past the underlying mental issues, and fix the social taboos and misconceptions, I think we can really finally "win" the drug war.

I'm REALLY interested to get your take. Let me know what you agree with, that you disagree with, what you would change, and what you would add.

I look forward to your replies!


Comments


[3 Points] Psychonaut_For_Life:

EVERYONE has an addictive personality. For some people it's drugs. Other people it's food or video games or shopping or gambling or partying or working or masturbating or (looking at you politicians) fucking other people over. It's always something. Anyone who blames drug users for seeking dopamine squirts while their preferred source of dopamine squirts is just fine is a self-righteous CUNT. End of story.

If psychedelics have taught me anything, it's that every single person on Earth, including myself, is a giant shitbag one way or another. Best to look inward and work on improving ourselves and help other people do the same instead of throwing stones inside of our own glass houses.


[2 Points] Iloveheroinsadface:

I've thought of some of these things recently having become a recent methadone patient and I can't wait to quit. I hate the way I have to go to the fucking pharmacy to get a dose of medication under supervision everyday and how the stupid bitch pharmacist judges me for who I am and knows nothing about what led me there yet assume she I'm an idiot fuckup.

I hate how politicians and health ministers etc all talk so much good and backpat eachother about how much they are doing to help addicts when treatment is still not easy to get and it requires so many hoops. I hate how i was turned away from doctors for over a year and told to go to detox when all I wanted was maintenance meds like suboxone to get off the smack train.

I hate how the biggest problems I had with dope were mostly down to its illegality and the lack of pure product. I never used crystal meth purposefully in my life yet I pissed hot for it and fent too even tough my dealers assured me I wasn't getting anything. But heroin.

Truthfully I can't wait to detox off this fucking methadone and get enough clean time under my belt that I can be with my one true love heroin once in awhile. And only good darknet dope. Fuck the streets.

I figure four months clean taking an opiate antagonist to resensitize my fucked up receptors will let me go back to being able to snort a little dope every week or two for a night. I really miss the comfort. My mental issues aren't going away and they are ingrained. I am willing to do thee work to get better but asking me to suffer is asking a lot when you haven't experienced the things I have in my life.


[1 Points] Celacia:

i think there will always be a stigma that comes with substance abuse. like it or not, a lot of people do terrible shit to keep from being sick when they are an active addict. i am a big proponent of decriminalization of all drugs myself, but i just don't see it ever happening in this lifetime


[1 Points] None:

I totally agree with this post, just the other day a cop illegally searched my car over a simple traffic stop. the cop found pills in my center console of my car, the pills being oxycodone/fentanyl/hydro/ect. The cop threaten me and said that he will "throw me in jail" over a simple small posesion of illegal narcotics, (i obviously wasnt prescribed these, i was just taking them to get high) the cop shoved the pills in my face and said "this is what you want to be, these fucking pills, your ruining your life, you stupid fucking drug addict, you got your whole life ahead of you" take note i am very young and i have a problem with opiates. i was fucking lying my ass off in front of the cop, and thank god i said i took them from my "mom" or otherwise my ass would be in fucking jail right now over some stupid small fucking possesion charge... anyways, since that i am getting help, and PROPERLY getting my addiction treated as i am typing this. getting on suboxone soon, once my withdrawal symptoms start to set in. but moral of the story, fuck this society, fuck these people, and fuck this goverment.. so many problems could be fixed if PEOPLE WERE TO FUCKING DECRIMINALIZE "DRUG ADDICTS" i get called a fucking drug addict every day by friends, family, and such.. its not easy having genes so prone to addiction... thank god i am getting help, and all you guys out there who want to change, go get help to. fuck this goverment, and fuck the war on drugs, it is a total fucking failure, fuck you nixon!