I am no expert on addictions. But I have a working familiarity with my own
addictions and the addictions of my patients.
And, I read the national papers and the literature.
For those who want further information on conventional
definitions and treatments see this eMedicine article:
A confession. I am
addicted to buying stuff. I am very future
oriented. I think about all the things I can do with
these things I buy. I was heavily into
astronomy, I still do stargaze, but I bought too many telescopes and eyepeices. I have lots of books about each of my hobbies,
I do read them. I have 2 hard shell kayaks
and a small ultra-light canoe, and several cool ultralight paddles. I have 6 bicycles… I can go on, but you get the picture. I try not to throw my household into bankruptcy.
Today, I am more interested in the bigger picture.
The idea that we make drug use illegal is perhaps one of the
most misguided efforts imaginable. The
main thing that it does is foster harmful activity against others. From the junkie trying to get money for that
next hit, who steals or hurts someone, or, someone who sells their body, or
someone else’s body, for drugs and money.
To the pushers and suppliers who kill each other, bystanders, and anyone
who gets in their way.
In essence our current system puts large sums of money in
the hands of not so very nice individuals and groups. They then use that money to buy weapons and
protection. Often corrupting the very
individuals we hire to protect our society.
Make the stuff legal.
Put all that money into prevention, education, and treatment.
What seems to be so hard about this?
Will it take time?
Yes. Will we have to change the
system on so many levels? Yes.
But, think about it.
Did prohibition work? No. Make drugs legal. Tax them.
Put all those billions we spend on incarceration, the police, aid to
countries to eliminate drugs, to something worthwhile.
We are all hurting individuals. But, some of us are more hurting than
others. Sometimes we hurt from
emotional, physical, or sexual trauma.
Some of us just never developed adequate emotional intelligence and
coping mechanisms. Is that a crime?
We all want some pleasure from life. Sometimes we mistake these small pleasures
for the real pleasure we are seeking.
Sometimes we are looking to expand our consciousness. Sometimes we are searching to have a
spiritual experience. Often we have no
idea why we do the things that we do.
I have already argued that we are all after enlightenment. I won’t repeat myself.
Change the system.
Please, sooner rather than later.
No comments:
Post a Comment