The Toronto Board of Health has joined others around
Canada in asking for all drugs to be decriminalized. If this occurred we would
be join the ranks of countries like Portugal who having done this have cut the
number of addicts in half, lowered crime rates and lowered healthcare costs.
But, of course, as this nation is afraid of such a “radical” approach it will
not happen. In fact, the Trudeau government has said as much. There is another
way where we can treat drug addiction as a health issue rather than a criminal
one.
We already have mental health diversion courts so
why not drug/alcohol diversion courts. The mental health diversion allows
people who have committed a crime to have a chance to get better rather than go
to jail. There are a lot of rules someone must follow or they forfeit their
diversion and go to jail. Rules may include adherence to taking medications as
prescribed, going to therapy groups and/or individual therapy, etc. It seems to
work and helps keep the already clogged up courts from being more encumbered.
Think of the money and time that could be saved if such a diversion system were
put in place for people suffering from addiction?
Rather than wasting money on sending people to
prison for drug possession, where they get no help and the problem worsens, it could
be spent on helping them. Why not put the money into treatment programs, both
residential and out-patient? In order for this to work there would have to be
enough programs where a person doesn’t have to wait months to get a spot in
treatment. There is a very narrow window to get someone into treatment once
they decide they want help. It’s the nature of the disease. The only disease
that tricks the person into thinking they don’t have it. If the government
opens up more treatment centres then people will get the help they need. This
will cut down on health care costs, court costs and police costs. Probably save
money on social service costs as well. One mode of thinking that would have to
change is the government’s perception that 12 Steps is a religion and therefore
does not qualify for funding. 12 Step programs are not a religion! But that’s
for another blog.
Dave the Dude
