3 ms·

> When will the US (and the rest of the world) finally learn that locking users up just perpetuates the problem... I couldn't agree more with you on this point

> When will the US (and the rest of the world) finally learn that locking users up just perpetuates the problem... I couldn't agree more with you on this point, but the point in this article when a sentenced addict chose jail instead of treatment nearly made my jaw drop. A lot of these people are simply hopeless. > “You’re not going to change me,” he says. To your point of state-provided heroin, I hope that more conclusive data comes out about safe injection sites soon. People are antsy about them getting installed in Seattle but I feel like it's simply time to try something.

mschuster91 9y ago
> A lot of these people are simply hopeless. I can certainly understand his motives: being in jail for 6 months means you have safe housing for 6 months, don't need to scrape together money for food in that time and if you end up in a jail not run by a disgrace like Arpaio or by a greedy corporation you have the chance to receive some medical care. The core problem is that the hopelessness that is driving people to drugs in the first place won't be gone. The rust belt jobs won't come back, and either politicians find an alternative or they're going to have a drug pandemic more sooner than later. > To your point of state-provided heroin, I hope that more conclusive data comes out about safe injection sites soon. In Germany we call them "Druckräume". Effective at keeping needles off public spaces and getting help for ODed people, but I don't know if there's anything in English about them.