It's excellent news that @CACP_ACCP finally endorses decriminalization of simple drug possession. But since the "treat addiction as a health issue" chorus is getting really loud and obscuring the underlying problems (and intents) of today's drug laws, here's a thread/re-thread /1
Dr. @RebeccaSaah and I wrote a commentary on this last year and @AmJPrevMed published it in their first issue of 2020.
"Drug Decriminalization: a matter of what's just, not just a matter of health."
/2
rsaah.ucalgaryblogs.ca/files/2020/06/…
"Drug Decriminalization: a matter of what's just, not just a matter of health."
/2
rsaah.ucalgaryblogs.ca/files/2020/06/…
We should be thinking of drug laws in the context of #BlackLivesMatter and how poverty and homelessness have intersected with #COVID19.
And - while we're grateful that the CACP now endorses drug law reform - the issue also speaks to why #DefundThePolice is right. /3
And - while we're grateful that the CACP now endorses drug law reform - the issue also speaks to why #DefundThePolice is right. /3
What's more, we in the "drugs are a health issue" crowd ought to think about the trauma and harm inflicted by our own health system and be deliberate about how we situate quality of life matters like this. /4
Please read our paper which @LeoBeletsky graciously called "The most important drug policy article of 2020" and this thread 👇🏽 that unpacks the issues a little and ends with Jay-Z @S_C_. /end
