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After some initial confusion about the White House's plans earlier in the week, President Trump has followed the recommendation of the President's Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis, headed by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, and declared the opioid crisis to be a national emergency. He has promised to spend "a lot" of time, effort, and money to combat the problem:
Among the other recommendations were to rapidly increase treatment capacity for those who need substance abuse help; to establish and fund better access to medication-assisted treatment programs; and to make sure that health care providers are aware of the potential for misuse and abuse of prescription opioids by enhancing prevention efforts at medical and dental schools.
President Trump also decried a slowdown in federal prosecutions of drug crimes and a reduction in sentence lengths. Activists and policy experts are wary of an enforcement-heavy approach:
Bill Piper, senior director for the Drug Policy Alliance, told CNN Tuesday that stricter enforcement "has never worked" and the President would be "better focusing on the treatment side of things." "A supply side approach to drugs has never worked," Piper said. "That is what has been tried for decades and it has failed for every drug it has applied to, including alcohol during Prohibition. As long as there has been and[sic] demand for drugs, there will be a supply." Trump would not be the first administration to crack down on drug use by focusing on enforcement, but Piper said doing so would play into a desire to "sound tough," not actually solve the problem. "It makes it look like they are doing something even when they are not," Piper said.
Trump also advocated for more abstinence-based treatment to combat the opioid crisis. "The best way to prevent drug addiction and overdose is to prevent people from abusing drugs in the first place. If they don't start, they won't have a problem. If they do start, it's awfully tough to get off," Trump said. That sort of strategy advocates for targeting kids and young adults with anti-drug messaging, evocative of the "Just Say No" ad campaign of the 1980s and early 1990s.
This crisis is serious, folks:
"It is a serious problem the likes of which we have never had. You know when I was growing up, they had the LSD and they had certain generations of drugs. There's never been anything like what's happened to this country over the last four or five years. And I have to say this in all fairness, this is a worldwide problem, not just a United States problem. This is happening worldwide. But this is a national emergency, and we are drawing documents now to so attest."
(Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Friday August 11 2017, @11:42PM (15 children)
Don't go after the junkies. They are brain dead and pathetic. Mandatory death sentence for dealers of hard drugs would work. The dealers profit and destroy people, families, neighborhoods, and society. Serious and costly crime deserves serious punishment.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by bob_super on Saturday August 12 2017, @12:00AM (5 children)
Same as prostitution: regulate, license, take the criminal aspects out, help people get out/off, tax it to pay for the trouble.
And yes, illegal dealers, like pimps, should be dealt with, rather than customers.
But lengthy prisons sentences for all is the way it's going to go, courtesy of the Prison Industrial Complex lobbying.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 12 2017, @10:48AM (3 children)
Why do the johns get a pass?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 12 2017, @02:11PM (2 children)
Why should they be punished? They are paying for a service, and the prostitute supplies the service. It just needs to be legalised, so it can be regulated and made safe for both parties.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 12 2017, @11:40PM (1 child)
Reducing all human interactions to the level of buying a burrito does not a healthy society make.
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Monday August 14 2017, @04:14PM
Welcome to Raw Capitalism.
For hints of social conscience, please consult the Socialism aisle.
(Score: 2) by wonkey_monkey on Saturday August 12 2017, @05:10PM
Yes, I've heard that's how it works.
systemd is Roko's Basilisk
(Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 12 2017, @12:02AM
Oh, a big tough guy! Yea man, maybe you can get to work and kill those dealers to help America. Don't worry, we'll wait.... Whats that? You don't want to do it? Of course you don't. Tough guys like you talk big but sit on your fucking worthless ass spewing nonsense online. Put up or shut up.
(Score: 5, Interesting) by Thexalon on Saturday August 12 2017, @01:20AM (2 children)
George Carlin raised a good point when he offered another potential target:
The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Saturday August 12 2017, @06:54AM
And the justice system won't ever be corrupted by deep state nor be incorrect..
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 12 2017, @09:47PM
A new meaning for "hang time".
(Score: -1, Troll) by jmorris on Saturday August 12 2017, @05:21AM (3 children)
Our "justice" system is now designed to protect the criminals from us. If Trump wants to end the drug problem there is one leader's example that he can follow:
President Rodrigo Duterte
The only question is whether we are desperate enough for that solution yet? Probably not. But it can't be argued that his methods are ineffective. He is taking a country that was on the edge of collapse into failed narco state and has the criminal element crapping their undies, the corrupt government officials running for cover and the people cheering his name. Not bad for somebody that probably really is batshit crazy. What can be expected when we live in the asylum?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 12 2017, @02:08PM
He gets labeled batshit crazy because corruption and profiting off addiction is something that isn't just relegated to drugs. Those that in power are wise enough to see very quickly that 'First they came for the drug dealers and I did not speak out...' For what it's worth Thailand went through the exact same thing. The country was getting overrun with drugs and drug related violence. A Thai PM took an extremely hardline stance not dissimilar from what Duterte is doing, and it was also a resounding success. The country still has drugs, but no longer has a drug problem. The tales of people before and after the drug crackdown are just night and day.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 12 2017, @04:16PM
It was just a matter of time. Get the fuck out of this country you traitorous piece if shit. You belong in a mental institution where you can get help before you go full meat head and start murdering people.
People like you are the real danger in the US, sad you can't even see it. But sad or not you should be committed.
(Score: 2) by Azuma Hazuki on Sunday August 13 2017, @04:11AM
Jumping Buddha, i was wondering if it was gonna be you or Uzzard who suggested emulating Rodrigo Dugoddamnterte first. Just...get the fuck out of the US, will you? You love Duterte Harry so much, ship your ass over to the Philippines and stay there.
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: 2) by mcgrew on Saturday August 12 2017, @03:53PM
The biggest drug pushers advertise on TV.
mcgrewbooks.com mcgrew.info nooze.org