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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