Stand/Feelings on Gov't/Pharm Co's role with Addiction

opiates
#1

I’m wondering what your take is on addiction and the pharma co’s / government part in it all. Just curious as to what your feelings are.

#2

Federal government ranking of drugs as legal vs. illegal and their class seems to be arbitrary, with no relation to the evidence. For instance - in my opinion, benzodiazepines should be outlawed. Alcohol can cause as much harm as illegal drugs. And so on. Now research into psychedelics has resumed and they may be a useful medication for certain conditions (including addiction recovery), when used in a controlled environment, with a trained guide. I am not opposed to the use of certain drugs in targeted ways if there is evidence that they improve outcomes.

Pharmaceutical companies seem to be focused on profit/money above any other consideration, like much of western society.

It will be interesting to watch how the legalization of marijuana in many states plays out over the long term. I don’t know enough about marijuana to understand if it’s as addictive or harmful as alcohol and other drugs.

I think it would be helpful to decriminalize drug use (not large-scale distribution) and send people to therapy rather than prison.

#3

I totally agree regarding rehab help versus prison, much more therapeutic for sure! There is a link to everyone I mentioned regarding the epidemic and it’s tough to know where to start to lessen/eliminate this horrific problem. If the drugs were harder to obtain that would definitely be a huge help!

#4

I agree that decriminalization is the best route forward - I believe that one of the major harms of the drug war has been that forcing drugs into the black market has lead to stronger formulations (eg. Opioid Tea => Heroin => Fentanyl) and a lack of research, education and innovation around how we as a global society view and use substances.

It is such a multilayered systematic problem. My hope and aim is that together, through Village, we’re taking a stand here on how Friends & Family will respond and champion a more humane and reliable response to addiction.