Drug Legalization -- Can We Make it Work?

Drug LegalizationCan We Make It Work?

Patrick Dieter’s Presentation for

AODA Independent Study Class

03/18/2013

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RESEARCH:46 peer-reviewed articles & 8 websites

• Comparison -- 8 years ago vs. now:

– THEN:

» Most research = Anti-Legalization

» Average response = “You’re NUTS!”

– NOW:

» Most research = Pro-Legalization

» only 5 of 46 were Anti-Legalization

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IDEA NOW TAKEN SERIOUSLY

BY:• Government• Medicine• Society• Religion• Education• Law enforcement• Treatment

– Harm Reduction Model• Cannabis is nearly legal

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MAJOR POINTS:

• Most problems due to underground status of drugs

– Secrecy = inability to control it effectively

• Criminalization = multi-billion-dollar black market

– Profits irresistible to predatory street dealers

• Let’s put them out of business!

– Contributes to overall economic inflation

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POTENTIAL BENEFITS:

• REMOVE PROFIT MARGIN– Who would buy on the street, when

safe, pure products are available?

• Eradicate Black Market

• Street dealers DONE

• Illicit labs SHUT DOWN

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HEALTH BENEFITS:

• Users Feel Safer–Willing to seek treatment for:

•Medical

•Addiction

•Mental health

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HEALTH BENEFITS:

•Reduced diseases

–Clean needles

–Sterile drugs

–Preventable diseases:

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PREVENTABLE DISEASES:

•HIV

•AIDS

•HEP C

•ABSCESS

•MRSA

•TB

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HEALTH BENEFITS:

• Purity regulated by FDA–Street adulterants include:

• Cheaper chemicals– (Replacing “X” with speed)

• Strychnine• Industrial solvents• Toxic cutting agents

–END of “Bathtub Drugs”

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Bathtub Drugs:

• No profit in “cooking”• Quaaludes• Home Meth Labs• Designer drugs• “Bath salts”• “Legal” Marijuana

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HEALTH BENEFITS:

• Dosage regulated by FDA– Will end most accidental OD’s

• No “surprises” in the bag

– No “Hot Shots”

– Slower tolerance development

• Empowers management of dosage increases

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HEALTH BENEFITS:

• Bringing the market out of the shadows– Greater motivation to practice self-care

• Hygiene• Health care

• Currently ZERO control of the market

• Market continues to grow exponentially

• Improved control over access by kids

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SOCIAL BENEFITS:

• Drug use loses its “cool” factor– Becomes establishment/govt. approved– No longer seen as rebellious– Loses romantic “antihero” mythos– Rebellion = POWERFUL motivator

• No more “chasing” a fix– Most addicts not normally criminal– Could (and would)work simple jobs

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SOCIAL BENEFITS:

• Reduced stigma– Increased self-esteem– Increased self-awareness– More effective treatment

• NOT shame-based• Will greatly reduce:

– Prostitution• Kids forced into it

– STD’s– Sexual trauma

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SOCIAL BENEFITS:

• VASTLY reduces:– Racially biased enforcement

• Huge racial imbalance in prisons– Generational recidivism

• Prison as a “family value”– Hero worship of dealers

• Glorification of “Gangsta” Culture– Fear of theft or assault– Toxic shame and self loathing

• Shame causes self-destructive behavior

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SOCIAL BENEFITS:

Reduced stigma toward social “hot spots”

• Methadone clinics

• Meth Labs

• Halfway houses

• Drug corners

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LEGAL BENEFITS:

• Legal benefits– Reduce profit-motivated crime

– Bring down drug prices GREATLY

– Decrease crime

– Put dealers out of business quickly

– Destroy incentive to start kids on drugs

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LEGAL BENEFITS:

• End waste of Police resources• Dismantle the DEA

– Will free billions • Treatment• Prevention

• Unclog the courts• Close many prisons

– Massive revenue savings• Sanity in sentencing

– War On Drugs has distorted this

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ECONOMIC BENEFITS:

• Potential for tax revenues• Interdiction costs gone• Users can enter the work force• Black market stops causing inflation• Reducing petty crime saves money

• For government• For private citizens• For social support entities• For hospitals

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POLITICAL BENEFITS:

Improve global perception of USA:

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POLITICAL BENEFITS:

DEFUND terrorism

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POLITICAL BENEFITS:

Put cartels out of business

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POLITICAL BENEFITS:

Government can attend to more important matters:

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POLITICAL BENEFITS:

Restore Constitutional Rights– Drugs are a personal choice– State NOT qualified to address health problems– Punishment destroys lives and doesn’t work.

• We don’t punish diabetics, cancer patients, etc. – Addicts must be ready or treatment will do harm

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POTENTIAL DRAWBACKS:

Drug czars & DEA dispute benefits of legalization

– Problems with their claims (as per research):• Arguments not fact driven• Hard evidence, statistics ignored/suppressed• Expert reports ignored & suppressed.• Articles use defensive, inflammatory language• Arguments don’t stand up to semantic analysis

– Many semantically null or undefined terms used• Virtually NO peer-reviewed evidence

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POTENTIAL DRAWBACKS:

CLAIM: Drug use will increase– Evidence from other countries refutes this

• Drugs become anathema to rebellious kids– Drugs no longer romanticized

» “normal” is boring» Users are seen clearly as losers

– Drug subculture fades » becomes mainstream

– Pushers out of business – Stop recruiting new customers (kids)

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POTENTIAL DRAWBACKS:

CLAIM: Drug use will increaseEvidence from other countries (cont.)

• Addicts dislike IV heroin administered by nurses– They say pharmaceutical heroin doesn’t feel “right”

• Drug abuse is already at epidemic proportions– War On Drugs has consistently failed

• Wasted a trillion dollars over 40 years• Caused exponential increase in drug abuse• Drug abuse doubled (at minimum) every year since started

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POTENTIAL DRAWBACKS: CLAIM: Social & family problems will get worse• Only arguments are emotional appeals

– Few facts to back up this assertion• Problems still happening now, but in secrecy

– Currently very difficult to address abuse, neglect• Legalization would open the door for counseling

• Laws against abuse already in place– Current laws harm children

• Removal from home• Parent in prison• Single parent is the norm with adults in prison

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POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS:

Making It Work:Treatment modernized (evidence-based)

» Free of charge» Strength-based » On-demand» Devoid of allusions to “character flaws”

– Easily afforded once interdiction funding stops– Public will be educated about the disease model

• Use modern advertising & marketing – i.e. anti-smoking campaign

– Addicts more likely to see treatment as attractive– End forced treatment before the person’s ready

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POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS:

Making It Work:Legal Issues – Address offense directly

– Treat family issues separately» Drug use not necessarily child abuse/neglect» Fact based, rather than hysteria

– Expand DUI laws to include drugs– Still prosecute:

» Petty theft» Prostitution» Illicit manufacture of impure drugs (FDA)

» May allow homegrown poppies, coca, etc.

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REQUIRED FOR SUCCESS:

“MUSTS” TO MAKE IT WORK:• Legalization must be total – ALL substances• Government will only regulate purity, dosage• Government will NOT distribute substances• Drug manufacturers will be STRICTLY price-controlled • Dr’s will still advise, but prescriptions unrestricted

– Extensive training in addiction required for MD, DO• Must include free, on-demand treatment

– Residential centers will be comfortable and inviting– End harsh interventions

» Replaced by strength-based outreach counselors» Counselors onsite at adults-only “drug stores”

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FUTURE TREATMENT CENTER:

YOUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK

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REQUIRED FOR SUCCESS:

“MUSTS” TO MAKE IT WORK:• Legalizing possession = legalizing sales

» No such thing as a “miracle stash”– Must include:

» ALL aspects of drug market» Growing» Manufacturing » Sales

• NO marketing or advertising allowed» Similar to alcohol/tobacco

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REQUIRED FOR SUCCESS:

“MUSTS” TO MAKE IT WORK:• Manufacturers must:

– Be compliant with FDA– Make predictable doses– Assure purity– Not be allowed to advertise

» Education/Prevention:» Learn from tobacco/alcohol example» Smoking GREATLY reduced since 1973

» Only media ads are PSA’s» Warnings on packs» Education» Minor local laws only» Bans by private business

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A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A FUTURE DRUG USER:

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FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 201511:00 am – WAKING UP:

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FRIDAY, JUNE 3. 201512:00 PM – OFF TO WORK

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FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 201512:00 PM – LUNCH

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FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2015

8:00 PMQUITTING TIME

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FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 20158:30 PM – THE DRUGSTORE

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8:00 PM:HOME AT LAST

FRIDAYJUNE 3, 2015