Neither Guns Nor Cliffs, But A Threat We Cannot Afford To Miss Any Longer
The recent tragedy in Connecticut has understandably consumed us with protecting our children from gun violence, and the state of our economic recovery -- with avoiding the Fiscal Cliff. But, for too long, we have been overlooking another threat and recovery issue. Substance Abuse is more dangerous to our children than guns and costs us close to 200 billion dollars a year. The disease often starts in childhood, more children are dying from its effects than from guns, and although most reach adulthood before succumbing – each year over a hundred thousand then lose their lives and 20 million more remain at risk of dying. Curtailing this epidemic – for humanitarian and financial reasons -- can be achieved if policy makers redirect “The War On Drugs” toward recovery from this disease.
Past Federal Substance Abuse Policy has relied upon criminalization (better known as "The War On Drugs"), prevention and treatment, and has been ineffective. Criminalization and prevention seek to stop the use of illegal drugs; yet, without diminishing any life lost to this disease, the use of illegal drugs accounts for only about 16,000 of the 116,000 deaths from Substance Abuse each year. In addition, although treatment serves an often critical purpose, funding is extremely limited, treatment is expensive, and treatment usually lasts for a relatively short period of time. Addiction, however, is a chronic illness, like diabetes, for which there is no medical cure. As a result, the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration recommend an individualized approach including ongoing medical care as needed, 12 Step recovery programs, and transitional housing to achieve and maintain recovery. Accordingly, in a recent speech at the Betty Ford Treatment Center, Gil Kerlikowske, the Director of the National Drug Control Policy, acknowledged that Federal Substance Abuse Policy has not been working, and announced that we can and must make progress against this epidemic by committing some of our Substance Abuse resources to programs which support recovery.
Our states and local governments are also major contributors to the failure of Substance Abuse Policy. Kerlikowske pointed out that our states and local governments have enacted over 3,800 laws which impede access to recovery. One law, for example, is the proposed Los Angeles Community Care Facilities Ordinance, which may be enacted this month. The ordinance is not designed to help those in our community suffering from Substance Abuse -- it is aimed at preventing them from living and recovering together in residential homes, despite a June 2012 Senate Report’s endorsement of these homes, strong evidence that these residences enhance recovery and reduce recovery costs, as well as established law prohibiting this type of housing discrimination. Although Kerlikowske has committed to litigate against all state and local laws which impede recovery, is that really going to be necessary? States and local governments, like Los Angeles, should be policy leaders, not adversaries, in combating this disease. Our community members and children, social services, and resources are being lost. We have the most at stake in winning the Substance Abuse battle.
Kerlikowske’s statements signal that President Obama may be the first president, in the 41 years since “The War On Drugs” began, to fundamentally change ineffective Substance Abuse Policy by supporting recovery as a pillar of the government’s attack on this epidemic. The shift in national policy is not necessarily about legalizing illicit drugs - - it is about winning the Substance Abuse battle by enabling the sufferer to achieve long term recovery from the disease itself. This is a recovery effort which is worthy of our attention and support.
Lisa M. Jacobsen, J.D., U.C.L.A. Law, Owner Harvest House Living for Women, L.A. Co. Sober Living Coalition