I want to take a more serious tone to this issue regarding President Biden’s release of drug kits targeted at black and brown communities. I want to be clear that I understand that many people are suffering from addiction or have suffered along with a family member or friend that is battling drug or alcohol addiction. So, I feel it merits a serious and respectful discussion.
I posted earlier a meme of Dave Chapelle in character to his old skits as a crack junkie referencing President Biden’s recent release of drug kits targeted to marginalized groups that suffer from drug addiction. There are no “crack pipes” included in the kits as mentioned earlier, but, it does include drug paraphernalia. The Biden Administration is utilizing an approach to drug addiction called “Harm Reduction Intervention”
Harm reduction challenges the traditional notion of abstinence as a universal treatment goal for problem substance use. It focuses on reducing the harm of drug use to the user and society (health, social, and economic consequences) for people unable or unwilling to stop using drugs rather than requiring abstinence as a condition of treatment.
I’m not going to get into any heavy discussion on whether this methodology works.. The evidence sways heavily that it is effective. Medical experts agree it has greatly reduced the spread of HIV in cities that have implemented free clean syringes. I’m all for any treatment that will mitigate the pain and suffering brought on by drug addiction. If it works, it works. It may very well be a more intelligent approach besides abstinence as an answer to drug addiction. I’m not a fan of one size fits all. Much of the success depends on the individual and the particular drug that is being used. To hand out kits without any knowledge of whether these individuals seek out professional treatment as well doesn’t lend itself to any positive outcome. Below is a TED Talk on alternative methods of drug treatment.
https://youtu.be/7HP1a48MNFM
Here’s my issue….If the Biden Administration is truly invested in combating the opioid epidemic, why doesn’t he seriously control the southern border that has allowed under his tenure an unprecedented amount of Fentanyl to flood the United States. Rather hypocritical to pass out drug kits but don’t want to deal with a major contributor to the destruction of people’s lives by allowing these drugs into the country. Sounds like a set up and a nice perk for Naloxone drug manufacturers. Basically, one aspect of Harm Reduction Intervention is trading in one drug for another. Naloxone is the treatment drug of choice to combat the addiction of opioids. So, the addiction is still there, it’s just transfered from one drug to another.
My shadow side senses this is a seedy arrangement. Like HIV, the goal was never to reach for a cure… the goal is to make as much money for years to come in the treatment. After all, Harm Reduction Intervention has been around in Europe since the 80s. I wouldn’t argue that there isn’t any success in keeping people alive… but to what end? Keep you alive and dependent on a drug for a lifetime is the goal? It certainly looks that way. Let’s be truthful, people are making a lot of money off of the pain and suffering addiction creates. I just don’t believe for a minute The Biden Administration is doing all of this because he cares about black and brown people. I’m not naive to think this or any other administration cares that deeply about anyone’s suffering when it comes to drugs and alcohol addiction. There are too many power brokers invested in the treatment and not the cure.
Follow me at BreakingBadGoddess.com
Comments