by wordspeak2 » Wed Feb 02, 2011 10:28 am
FUCK THE WAR ON DRUGS. I think the key part of the "WOD" that's often missed; at least by the drug policy reform movement proper, of which I've been a part; is just this- the drugging of the people. This includes the CIA's involvement in the heroin and cocaine trades, and I include psychiatric drugs, as well. We have the pharmaceutical industry funding Partnership For a Drug-Free America- may we live in Orwellian times.
Wrt heroin, a lot of the well-funded drug policy reform movement supports "heroin maintenance" centers, which have taken root in parts of Europe and in British Columbia. At these centers addicts can get clean heroin in a safe environment and go on living their lives. Most of the deaths from heroin OD's come from the impurities in the dope, which is a direct result of prohibition (proponents say). This is true... but I've been reluctantly supportive. The heroin maintenance centers reduce the crime associated with prohibition, but they keep people on heroin- which is, imho, an evil capitalist drug no matter which way you look at it. I remember seeing a Black Panthers Party pamphlet from the seventies vehemently opposing the legalization (or "medicalization") of heroin. I think there could be a much better treatment model that would include psychedelic therapies such as ibogaine, a plant with incredible proven efficacy in treating heroin and cocaine addiction, as well as treatment modalities like acupuncture, which work much better than one might believe. I know there's an acupuncture-based detox center in the South Bronx that's left over from the Black Panther days that's very successful. Spreading of that model plus decriminalization of small amounts would go a long way. It's not an impossibility in the next several decades. "Drug legalization" broadly is finally starting to get a real public debate, and the medical marijuana movement is radically shifting the paradigm.
Of course, the economics are very central, too, as someone pointed out- kid needs to eat. I have acquaintances who sell coke, sure. Do I want them in jail? Of course not. I think the ideal answer would be lowering sentences or ideally decriminalizing or virtually decriminalizing everything small-scale, the emergence of treatment centers that include cutting-edge (read:ancient) psychedelic modalities and medical marijuana, *as well as* needle exchange and heroin maintenance such harm reduction practices. And, of course- socialist-esque green jobs creation programs to replace the drug prohibition economy of today.
Hey, I mean, you got to have a vision.
