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Addiction is a Public Health Issue

By TChris, Section Crime Policy
Posted on Sat May 06, 2006 at 11:32:29 PM EST
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by TChris

As TalkLeft noted here, Patrick Kennedy is taking responsibility for his addiction:

Kennedy said he's been trying for months to kick a narcotic painkiller which he declined to name. He also told the newspaper he has "never gotten over" the chronic back pain and painkiller abuse that stemmed from surgery to remove a growth near his spine during college.

Rush Limbaugh's recent brush with the criminal justice system proves that drug abuse doesn't depend on political philosophy. The Boston Herald reports that 2 million Americans abuse prescription narcotics.

"It's a major problem in this country, the abuse of prescription medication, and we are not recognizing it," said Dr. Nora D. Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, part of the National Institutes of Health.

Rush was once an advocate for a punitive approach to drug abuse. He's probably come around to the reality-based understanding that drug addiction is a public health problem that isn't well addressed by the criminal justice system.

"This is the way society will slowly open its eyes to discuss drug addiction as a disease instead of hiding it because that just continues the stigmatization," Volkow said.

< Objection: The President Isn't Relevant | Abuse, Cover-Up Suspected in Inmate Death >

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    Addiction is a Public Health Issue | 7 comments (7 topical)
    Re: Addiction is a Public Health Issue (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun May 07, 2006 at 08:58:39 AM EST
    You may be giving Limbaugh too much credit. Via The Agitator, here's Limbaugh on the FDAs' suspect claim that there's no medical value to marijuana: "The FDA says there's no -- zilch, zero, nada -- shred of medicinal value to the evil weed marijuana. This is going to be a setback to the long-haired, maggot-infested, dope-smoking crowd."

    Re: Addiction is a Public Health Issue (none / 0) (#2)
    by Johnny on Sun May 07, 2006 at 11:18:28 AM EST
    Rush is an idiot and a proven liar.

    Re: Addiction is a Public Health Issue (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun May 07, 2006 at 11:45:39 AM EST
    There is an interesting story in the Buffalo News today, where the News actually took the time to interview this guy who made front pages recently with his brutal crime - on a crack high and desperate to get more, he strangled a locally known nun who preached anti-violence in order to steal her cell phone, which he then traded for a bag of crack. The reporter - who you may recognize as the guy who got the jailhouse interview with Timothy McVeigh and wrote a book about it - allows this guy to tell how his addiction drove him to such a terrible deed. I thought it was unique of the News to actually take a look at drug addiction's effect in this story, rather than just demonizing this easily demonizable guy who killed a nun.

    Re: Addiction is a Public Health Issue (none / 0) (#4)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun May 07, 2006 at 07:39:45 PM EST
    Nora Volkow is Trotsky's great-granddaughter.

    Re: Addiction is a Public Health Issue (none / 0) (#5)
    by kdog on Mon May 08, 2006 at 12:07:57 PM EST
    But somehow these highly addictive prescription drugs will avoid the stigma of say marijuana...why is that? Oh yeah...big pharma and big money.

    Re: Addiction is a Public Health Issue (none / 0) (#6)
    by Lww on Mon May 08, 2006 at 02:27:15 PM EST
    Does anyone care how stoned you are if you strangle a nun? That's (as they like to say in here)the straw man,red-herring,Griswold somethin or other. Rush and Patrick got the usual treatment. Why is everyone so damn shocked?

    Re: Addiction is a Public Health Issue (none / 0) (#7)
    by kdog on Mon May 08, 2006 at 03:38:12 PM EST
    No way they got the usual treatment LWW. Kennedy, if he was Joe Blow, would have spent the night in jail, license revoked, fines up the wazoo. Rush, if he was Joe Blow, holding that kind of weight, would be doing 3-5. Unless you meant pill-heads as opposed to coke-heads or junkies, then I think I agree.

    Addiction is a Public Health Issue | 7 comments (7 topical)