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Am I crazy or does systematic tolerance (not legalization) of drug use yield more drug use? Or at least more demanding drug users? Likewise, does systematic t
by IanDrake 8y ago
Am I crazy or does systematic tolerance (not legalization) of drug use yield more drug use? Or at least more demanding drug users?
Likewise, does systematic tolerance of homelessness yield more homelessness?
Seems like condoning these behaviors encourages more of the same, while at the same time allowing those who partake to push the envelope even further.
Anyone have insight on this? I couldn’t find any studies that measure exactly what I’d like to measure.
- adwi 8y agoI’m not an expert, but from my experience with addicts, intolerance pushes those suffering with addiction further underground, making it more difficult to engage the population in ways that could lead to meaningfully addressing the root problem instead of simply hiding it from view. I understand, at least abstractly, the desire to paint the addict with the brush of moral failure, but as with the practical process of an individual getting sober, admitting the problem is the first step in overcoming it. Until we accept this charge on a societal level—not just choosing whether or not to “condone” their suffering—nothing will meaningfully change. And with overdoses killing more people than car accidents and guns in the United States, maybe the greater moral failure is ours?
- IanDrake 8y agoThat’s interesting and I see your point. While I realize addicts might be victims of circumstance and not just victims of their own bad choices, at some point we have to prioritize safety. Are parks for tax payers and their children to enjoy the outdoors safely or are they a place to shoot up? It’s an either or proposition because the two can’t coexist.