How do we address the drug epidemic?

LEGALIZE DRUG USE

Because heroin is sold via an unregulated illicit market, its quality and
purity fluctuate tremendously. A user accustomed to low-quality heroin who
unknowingly uses near pure heroin will likely overdose. The inevitable
tough-on-drugs response to overdose deaths threatens public safety.

Attempts to limit the supply of drugs while demand remains constant, only
increases the profitability of trafficking. For addictive drugs like heroin,
a spike in street prices leads desperate addicts to increase criminal
activity to feed desperate habits. The drug war doesn't fight crime, it
fuels crime.

While the United States remains committed to harmful drug policies modeled
after alcohol prohibition, Europe has largely abandoned the drug war in
favor of harm reduction alternatives. Switzerland's heroin maintenance
trials have been shown to reduce drug-related disease, death and crime among
chronic users.

Addicts would not be sharing needles if not for zero-tolerance laws that
restrict access to clean syringes, nor would they be committing crimes if
not for artificially inflated black-market prices. Providing chronic addicts
with standardized doses in a clinical setting eliminates many of the
problems associated with heroin use.

Heroin maintenance pilot projects are underway in Germany, Spain and the
Netherlands. If expanded, prescription maintenance would deprive organized
crime of a core client base. This would render illegal heroin trafficking
unprofitable and spare future generations addiction.

Putting public health before politics may send the wrong message to
children, but I like to think the children are more important than the
message.

Robert Sharpe, Policy Analyst

Common Sense for Drug Policy

Washington, D.C.