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it's a problem
Posted on: November 28, 2016 at 08:37:59 CT
o'lineydisciple MU
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Addiction is a problem, to be sure. The surgeon general is only about 30 years (!) behind the field in terms of understanding (or at least publicly declaring) that addiction more or less is a (very complicated) health problem.
Giving addicts the drug of their choice has been attempted, with middling (at best) success in the form of methadone clinics, where heroin addicts come, often for years, to get "dosed" with a heroin analog. The success rate on "treating" those folks is abysmally low.
Promising pharmaceutical alternatives exist, especially with respect to opioid addictions, so at least that's a positive. Perhaps there could be some success in pharmacological treatments being developed, but, that's another story.
One solution would be to have the federal government not look the other way when it comes to reimbursing addiction care providers. Reimbursement rates are embarrassingly low, and that has to change if you want to support a healthy industry that is capable, one by one, of helping to treat addicts.
The criminal justice system definitely has a role to play, as well, but not in the mere incarceration of addicts. Many addicts seek treatment through their involvement in the criminal justice system - addicts that would have not sought treatment or not had it available to them.
It's certainly a very complicated problem with no known simple solutions. However I doubt giving addicts drugs for the rest of their life is that simple solution.
o'l-d
Giving addicts the drug of their choice has been attempted, with middling (at best) success in the form of methadone clinics, where heroin addicts come, often for years, to get "dosed" with a heroin analog. The success rate on "treating" those folks is abysmally low.
Promising pharmaceutical alternatives exist, especially with respect to opioid addictions, so at least that's a positive. Perhaps there could be some success in pharmacological treatments being developed, but, that's another story.
One solution would be to have the federal government not look the other way when it comes to reimbursing addiction care providers. Reimbursement rates are embarrassingly low, and that has to change if you want to support a healthy industry that is capable, one by one, of helping to treat addicts.
The criminal justice system definitely has a role to play, as well, but not in the mere incarceration of addicts. Many addicts seek treatment through their involvement in the criminal justice system - addicts that would have not sought treatment or not had it available to them.
It's certainly a very complicated problem with no known simple solutions. However I doubt giving addicts drugs for the rest of their life is that simple solution.
o'l-d
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it's a problem - o'lineydisciple MU - 11/28 08:37:59