If Addiction is a Disease, Why is It Criminal? Maia Szalavitz Envisions a Compassionate Drug Policy

[@spirituallylit]

This is probably the most important, yet overlooked, Democracy Now! video.

[@johndoe-ve3zp]

suboxin is the only thing that saved me it changed my life and I thank God everyday that he led me to self refine my life is so much better now I am alive again my life has purpose

[@marycaitie324]

What a great interview! I agree 100% As one who has lived with a recovering addict I know how important kindness and respect have been for his recovery. It can be hard not to feel anger and resentment toward an addict. For those of us who can say no to addictive substances or if we have more socially acceptable addiction there can be a feeling of superiority. But I have worked in a recovery center and there were all kinds of people. It could be any one of us struggling. How would you want to be treated if you had the stigma of being a "junky" "pot head" or a "drunk"? What helps people is a since of belonging, of being loved and appreciated and that there is a bright future worth the effort of recovery.

[@zachrhoads3644]

Maia, you are absolutely wonderful!

[@TheDMTmolecule]

what a sensible science-based perspective on why people do drugs habitually. Outstanding and insightful view on the nature of drug dependence. doesn't stand a chance...

[@brittaolson6550]

A science-based perspective has won in many countries, and the gains for them are documented, undeniable. There are programs like this running in certain parts of the US. The data will prevail over irrationality, eventually. We can now visualize the nature and processes of addiction in brain scans. Yes, we need to document the hell out of this in case we swing all the way to fascism and even more widespread disinformation in the future, but I think it stands a chance…or is at least worth fighting for.

[@CrawDaddyJohnny]

Maia, thank you

[@peacefulwarrior89]

God, I love this woman! An amazing author, thinker, and human being.

[@ladamyre1]

ALL drugs should be legal. The ruling class makes them illegal so they can have a black market and make their dark money, an invisible form of taxation. If legal, legitimate businesses could sell these drugs and treatment would be the domain of the medical trade and NOT criminal justice. Drug use is not bad or wrong nor does it break your brain. Like she said, it's the same as falling in love or having a kid. Basically this whole issue of legal or illegal is not about addiction but about LIBERTY!

[@bobbycecere1037]

Nonsense, certain drugs can definitely break your brain. Even the less harmful ones if used enough over a long enough period of time can do the same

[@bobbycecere1037]

Legal to consume yes... Legal to proliferate, no

[@bobbycecere1037]

I don't understand why people even ask that question, it's so simple. It's criminalized because of all the funding that goes into law enforcement to battle the War on Drugs. There are tens of thousands of jobs that wouldn't exist if the War on Drugs ended, that's your answer. That's one of the reasons why it's so difficult overturn these laws.

[@chelsearudisill7312]

I'm tired of being collateral damage with these asinine policies as a chronic pain patient. When most people who get addicted to pain medicine, over 70%, are getting them from friends or family it's not fair how pain patients are being treated now. I can't tell you how many times I feel like I'm being treated like a drug seeker by doctors/hospitals because of this current climate. Even at pain management now, we have to have our pills counted every visit and a piss test as soon as we enter the building - I understand why they have to do it, being afraid of losing their licenses, being watched constantly by the DEA, but treating pain patients like criminals is not okay.

[@chelsearudisill7312]

So many people are being under treated for their pain now and chronic pain sufferers are at a higher risk for suicide. I know that if I had to go back to being in total agony every day (compared to now, still in constant pain, with a purple & blue back from living on a heating pad, but having the most intense alleviated with my pain medications) I would take my life, because what's the point in living if you must suffer in physical pain every day? I was suicidal before I found a pain management doctor who actually took my insurance - I can't imagine being uninsured with this pain - when I hurt my back (I was a CNA), my husband and I had to get married right away so I'd have insurance - but even with it I'm still over $250k in medical debt.

[@chelsearudisill7312]

The addiction epidemic is directly correlated with the income and wealth inequality crisis in our country. With so many people being destitute, they're totally demoralized with having zero economic stability and mobility so they understandably turn to drugs. Then many end up in prison, making a profit for the vile private prison industry. The current state of our country is SHAMEFUL, disgusting.

[@roodlesprease7659]

yeah those opiates create an addiction really fast on top of the pain.

[@CFernndz17]

And how the Hell is that "good for your own well-being?" If every dr visit is a potential threat of being force tapered for ANYTHING, including telling the truth -- your pain might progress, but don't tell them....that's CLEARLY manipulation -- Can't be due to the very nature of your condition, injury, etc., -- My goodness, if u don't already have CPTSD from YEARS OF THIS NOW, I don't see how one can avoid it under this craziness. Think about it....ur drs are required to be abusive and not see u as a human being.. ..if they look u in the eyes, they might feel compassion and act mercifully.....saving ur life, as they risk their freedom, reputations-- our medical care is EVERYONE'S BUSINESS to make sure nobody takes opioids and gets intoxicated, which it doesn't look like chronic patients do....I'm not sure those drugs do that after years of steady use of uncontaminated supply at doses that were also reasonably consistent over time.

[@Ella-dx2hx]

😊

[@joshuagharis9017]

Legalize drugs period. War on drugs makes addiction, drugs, law enforcement, violence worse

[@markrimelspach7041]

Great interview.

[@justandroid1209]

the 18:19 comment bout the demand for drugs, locking up a dealer does make more because you are in fact removing the competition of someone else.

[@MadameLadyM]

Is it just me or is Obama avoiding the word Black? Minority means white women, Asians, Latinos, Native Americans, Black people, and Indians.

[@geraldgeaf1292]

+MadameLadyM Obama has always been scared of the word black except when he needed votes

[@MadameLadyM]

+Native B. I've never heard of white people referring to themselves as European Americans. White women have been the biggest recipients of affirmative action. Black is a term that Malcolm X used, given to him by his teacher, which includes folks with African ancestry. So that we knew what he meant when he said Black. "Negro" or African Americans, Africans, etc. I have never subscribed to the term African American. Am I of African descent? Yes. But that term is reserved for Africans who voluntarily came to American. I hope you have a good day.

[@johndoe-ve3zp]

so tru

[@Crouchy232323]

Who is ''Warren Pearce'' and why do they dedicate the show to them?

[@Crouchy232323]

***** Oh right! Lol. So who is he?

[@dicapriono]

they are not pain patients

[@bobbycecere1037]

Nah. It's definitely Progressive. Not everyone will become an addict - in fact most won't. But for the ones that do fit the bill of what we call an addict in the rooms, it's definitely Progressive. If you continue to fool around with your own rewards pathways it'll take everything from you.

[@bobbycecere1037]

Did she really just say that it's an unlikely thing for someone in pain management to then go out in the streets and get their drugs from a dealer ?? How can someone with her expertise get something so bafflingly wrong ?

[@brittanybyland]

3% of pain pt become addicted in that way... they are drug tested more frequently than anyone- so there's a lot of data to support that they are only taking not only what is prescribed but following the script perfectly. It's a little misleading when it says addicts are getting them from friends/family. It should say they helped their sticky fingers to themselves