All The Addiction Commercials

[Warren DeMontague]

8. you know what is proven to reduce rates of opiate addiction? Legalized cannabis.

http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2016-09-15/study-opioid-use-decreases-in-states-that-legalize-medical-marijuana


Beyond that, I think at least some of the hyperbole about the "prescription drug crisis" and the "heroin crisis" is the drug war searching for a rationale as its gravy train dries up.

I suppose it's better that at least some people are taking a more humane approach; too often the "solutions" are inevitably a variation on the same old draconian ones- more jails, a prescription drug "crackdown" which, while it might keep a person or two from getting an unauthorized buzz, will invariably lead to people with legitimate pain needs being forced to suffer or told to do yoga or some shit, the addicts will go to the black market anyway, and some legit pain patients will as well.

What never seems to come up is a thorough revamping of our approach to these issues, starting with the conceit that it's any of the government's business what a consenting adult chooses to do with his or her own body in the first place. What we should be doing is adopting harm reduction strategies and rethinking our entire approach to addiction and "drugs". Certainly, help should be available for people who seek it.

Oh, yeah, and like I said- legalizing weed has been shown to help, too.