Persuasive Essay Sample on Drug Decriminalization
In the United States, drug overdoses have increased by 28.5%. There were an estimated 100,306 overdoses from April 2020 to April 2021, while 78,506 overdoses occurred the year prior (CDC). According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), drug charges and offenses are the leading cause of jail time for Americans, accounting for 45.9% of jailed individuals. The current and historic criminalization of drugs caused the imprisonment rate to quadruple, making it the highest in the world (Barnes 1). The United States must take action to change this situation since almost half of those who are imprisoned have been charged with drug offenses. Rather than offering drug addicts help, they are thrown behind bars and left to figure it out on their own. America's criminal justice system is the reason why this problem exists.
After he was elected in 1969, Nixon was primarily concerned with reducing crime, especially the use of illegal drugs, calling it a 'national emergency' and declaring "drug trafficking the nation's number one enemy" as he declared a "total offensive." The war on drugs escalated once Reagan and Bush came into office, and thousands of men, mostly poor and minority, were imprisoned, making the United States incarceration rate the highest in the world. Each president's solution for "helping" America's drug problem was to find, prosecute, and jail its drug addicts. A prison sentence has not and will not lead to them recovering. A prison makes about 15,000 to 35,000 dollars per inmate each year. However, if the prison is private it makes much more than that (could be over $150 a day per inmate). Individuals who are jailed are being treated as if they are profit and dollar signs, as opposed to being seen as flesh and bone.
According to Peace Valley Recovery Center in Pennsylvania, “relying on the jail and prison system to handle people with drug problems isn’t the most effective approach.” Drug addiction is a deeply rooted problem. It is not easy to stop, although many believe that it is, it most definitely is not. Drug rehabilitation is a much better alternative to prison time for many addicts. Comparing the benefits of rehab and prison time is important when looking at them in the drug crime system. Something to take into account is that once a drug charge is on your record, there is no way it is coming off. This plays a major part in someone's life since it could lead to a struggle in buying a home and getting a job.
To "address" America's opioid crisis, the CDC has adopted five key strategies: conduct surveillance and research, build state, local, and tribal capacity, support providers, health systems, and payers, partner with public safety, and empower consumers to make safe choices. Based on their strategies, they describe how to help the community and society but never explain or describe how to help addicts other than prescribing them medication. America's government spent years fixing the prescription opioid epidemic caused by prescription medication yet they want to give addicts medication to help “detox” from whatever drug they took or are taking. This is where things need to change.
If my bill were to become law, it would fundamentally change the way things are currently done. Addicts and those struggling with substance abuse may be prosecuted and charged in a completely different way under America's proposed criminal justice reform. Let’s start with the basics: Those who are caught with drugs and arrested should not be jailed or charged. At least not in the way it is done now. Once caught the individual will be taken to a facility where they will be examined by a professional doctor. This examination will determine how long the person needs to stay in rehab and what kind of effect whatever drug they used had on their brain. According to Minhee and Calandrillo, the longer a patient stays in a rehab facility, the lower their arrest rates are. Therefore, the length of time a person is “sentenced” to rehab can range from 6 months, a year, a year and a half, or even longer. Ultimately, it depends on the individual and what that person needs to fully detox naturally from the drug.
When it comes to rehabilitation centers, they need to be run correctly. Speaking with two different rehabilitation centers, I received two different answers to the questions that were asked. Through research, it has shown that Florida is the state that has the best results from its rehabs. Speaking on the phone with a staff member of Behavioral Health Centers in Florida, it was brought to my attention that an individual who struggles with addiction needs to be held accountable not only during rehab but also after. I was informed by the Health center specialist that once someone has completed a rehab program, they still meet with a therapist so they can work through everything they are going through so they won't relapse. But, something rehabs, hospitals and prisons do, is giving addicts medication to “help” them detox. Two out of the three medications given have been proven to be addictive. A state that has very high drug rates in Pennsylvania. The Recovery Village wrote a piece about natural detox versus medical detox. Speaking to someone on the phone from the Recovery Village, an individual who is addicted to drugs does not need medication to “help” them get over their addiction. Yes, natural detox can be painful and dangerous but that is why when someone is going through a natural detox they are being monitored and are given natural ways to calm the body.
Overall, America's current system of helping those who struggle with addiction is not working. The rates have continued to rise no matter how much money is spent and rehabs are built. It is because there needs to be a complete change in the way things are done. Sending someone to jail does not fix them. When it comes to an addict, the best remedy is abstinence. Let's take this step and help those who need it. It's time for a change.
