In the War on Drugs, Focus on Demand, not on Supply

It’s easy to make mistakes in addressing a problem that is so disheartening and emotionally upsetting as drug and alcohol abuse is. From a one-on-one, familial level all the way up to a nationwide level, mistakes are understood and expected. It is the effort and the persistence of efforts that means the most. Just our resilience and our willingness to keep going and to keep pushing for a resolution to the U.S. drug epidemic is itself laudable, but at some point, we will have to get the approach right.

A current approach that will likely go off the rails before it is even begun is the Trump Administration’s persistence towards combating the drug problem with a “War On Drugs.” This is a strong, law enforcement-based approach. The mistake here is that early intervention, treatment, education, prevention, and ongoing care, support, and compassion are far more effective in addressing a nationwide drug problem than a heavy-handed, punitive, and judicial action is.

Simply stated, if we focus on supply (targeting people who do drugs, deal drugs, traffic drugs, etc.) we will fail. When we focus more on the demand for drugs (the reasons why people want to do drugs in the first place and an addict’s desire for drugs) we will make better progress.

Treating People vs. Punishing People

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, every dollar invested in addiction treatment for struggling drug addicts and alcoholics gives a return in four to seven dollars in reduced drug-related crime, theft, and criminal justice costs. When we also consider the savings in the healthcare department that occur when money is invested in addiction treatment, our country saves about twelve dollars for every dollar invested in treatment.

The benefits to society, individuals, families, and the social communities of addicts receiving treatment are unlimited. When addicts are treated instead of incarcerated or killed, human suffering is averted. Unemployment is reversed. Disability is reduced. Domestic violence drops. Teenage and addiction-pregnancies drop. Multi-generational poverty is reduced. There is an instant return that lasts when we address the demand for drugs and alcohol by treating addicts and educating non-addicts about the risks of drugs and alcohol.

When we use a heavy-handed, legal, criminal justice, law enforcement, and criminalization approach to drug and alcohol addiction, we might experience a brief respite in drug and alcohol crime and abuse in that geographic area. But such results do not last. Addicts will find ways to get substances, no matter what. Alcoholics will find a way to get drinks no matter what. This is unavoidable unless such individuals get treatment and help for their addictions. This must be the focus going forward.

We Need to Put More Attention on Addiction Rehabilitation, not on Incarceration

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, there is, unfortunately, a significant treatment gap in the United States. This is to say that there is a stark difference in the number of individuals who need treatment for a substance abuse habit and those who actually receive such care. Recent studies show that only about one in ten addicts ever actually get the help that they need. With more than twenty-four million Americans addicted to drugs and alcohol, that is a pretty huge problem.

As a nation, our focus going forward needs to be on increasing the treatment and rehabilitation of addicts, not the incarceration of them. We need more government focus on helping remove the demand for drugs and alcohol by treating those who are already addicted and educating those who have not yet fallen prey to such dismal habits.

Sources:

• https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/principles-drug-addiction-treatment-research-based-guide-third-edition/frequently-asked-questions
• https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/principles-drug-addiction-treatment-research-based-guide-third-edition/frequently-asked-questions/how-do-we-get-more-substance-abusing-people
• https://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/policy-dose/articles/2016-04-19/substance-use-treatment-works-better-than-any-war-on-drugs