Drugs in Our World: Condoms, HIV, Marijuana, and Heroine, and US Policy Recommendations
by Here, in America, we take the approach of abstinence rather than harm reduction. When it comes to condoms, HIV, heroine, and marijuana, the government says “not at all” instead of think and create policies which can and ought to reduce the subsequent harms that result from these behaviors. What is wrong with this picture?
In Europe, many nations belonging to the EU, have embraced the latter theory of harm reduction. This approach has, without a doubt, reduced not only crime but other negative affects of many risky behaviors (i.e. prostitution and drug use). They have created needle exchange programs for people who habitually have used and continue to use heroine in order to ensure that they get what they need, and get it safely. Many people believe this is the right thing to do to reduce the spread of HIV and other diseases like hepatitis which can be spread through the sharing of dirty needles. However, many others beleive this is a ridiculous policy. The U.S. would never adopt such measures. Nonetheless, these measures have proven successful across Europe. Needle drug use has decreased and so has the spread of the disease. Furthermore, needle exchange programs aren’t just a place where heroine abusers can seek free heroine, it is a place where they are assured safe and clean needles, and are slowly wheened off of heroine with a smaller and smaller dose everytime they use the clinic and exchange program.
Also, when it comes to a drug like marijuana, which has a many real and valid uses in society, America turns a blind eye to the black market and CIA smuggling in drugs to keep minorities of the street (becasue they know that African-Americans and hispanics are more prone to low income situations and are vulnerable to the world of drugs; therefore, they will often turn to selling and or using drugs and sometime in there life be brought into the jail system of the U.S.) Again, Europe has decriminalized marijuana in large part, while the U.S. has kept marijuana illegal and being arrested with any sort of marijuana charge has led to a permanent record for many and has kept many away from attaining a college degree or a great job that they could have landed otherwise. This is pathetic. When marijuana can be used to treat cancer patients, HIV patients, AIDS patients, glaucoma patients, anxiety, and many other disorders and diseases, it is STILL ILLEGAL across the United States. Even if a few states have decriminalized marijuana it will always be illegal and the laws will always be controversial as long as FEDERAL U.S. LAW DICTATES (explicity in its text) that marijuana is illegal (since Federal law will always trump and supercede state law under any and all circumstances!!)
Liked it
-
Post CommentStraight Edged but Mindful of Your Brilliant Ideas!
On January 20, 2009 at 5:28 pm
yes!!..first off, I really wish others would engage in your brilliant converstation Robert..you are truly gifted..you need to be more seriouis though and clarify and publish some of these articles! Truly, you do. Nevertheless, do you know that when Amsterdam created and implimented needle exchange programs, crime decreased by over 50% over 3 years!! Fifty Percent!!!..over a three year period!!! And like you said, opponents to harm reduction will argue that you are giving heroine and needles to addicts!! However, you are providing a safe alternative to what can be a lucrative activity of seeking, selling, buying, and using a drug which involves lots of crime most of the time (stealing, robbing people, etc. to get their hands on a drug!)..Therefore, needle exchange programs provide a safe alternative to a behavior an addict is inevitably going to engage in anyway. Therefore, if the action is inevitable (i.e. like teenagers and highschool kids having sex!!..some say it isn’t but for the most part it is unstoppable!!)..the state/goverment needs and ought to provide a safe environment for individuals to live in. Therefore, hand out or atleast make condoms available to high school kids. Would you rather have teen pregnancies, and diseases spread? BUSH AND STUPID RUSH LIMBAUGH WOULD!!! These people do not understand that America is so messed up..if someone is going to engage in something anyway, why not aim and create policy that focuses on reducing the subsequent harms of such activities? IT MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO F*(kING SENSE! Does it?