Drug treatment industry supporters of illicit drug decriminalisation

[grace]

http://kalimna.blogspot.com/2008/05/drug-t...porters-of.html

 

Drug treatment industry supporters of illicit drug decriminalisation

 

I've posted before on the preposterious claims of Dr Alex Wodak that decriminalising cannabis use would decrease use. To the extent it provides an additional source of supply not subject to the user costs of relying on illegal markets I find it impossible to believe such claims*. The difficulty with these effoneous claims is that current policies to reduce cannabis use are working effectively. This is a beneficially especially because cannabis use itself is, in fact, increasingly seen as a dangerous illicit drug rather than something benign.

 

Miranda Devine asks what should be done about Dr Wodak's position as Director of the alcohol and drug services at St Vincents Hospital? I have not heard criticism of his work in this role so I guess not much. But he does speak with a voice of authority. I think he inflicts a lot of false views and hence social damage on the community because of these views but I assume we have to live with that cost as one of the effects of living in a democracy.

 

Moreover, my experience with the APSAD meetings is that many in the drug treatment industry (those earning good livings from treating those with drug and alcohol problems) are supporters of liberalising policies with respect to illicit drugs. Dr Wodak is not alone. Most of these people have never made any attempt to study economics or other disciplines that address the social effects of eliminating constraints on drug usage and instead look solely at the welfare of patients as they present themselves for treatment right at the time of treatment.

It is a deep problem that many of these supporters of legalising illicit drugs depend for their existence on the public teat. I wonder how many tax payers are aware of this?

 

(*) A logically consistent claim would be to assert usage might decline with legalisation because people demand cannabis because it is illegal for 'thrill-seeking' reasons. This seems to me farfetched. The legalisation of alcohol after prohibition in the US did not discourage use.

 

Posted by hc at 1:54 PM 20 comments Links to this post

Labels: illicit drugs

 

 

I wonder how many taxpayers are aware that most of those who support a zero tolerance policy and promote a "drug free australia" depend for their existence on the public teat.

 

What hyprocrisy.

[pipeman]

this idiot is trying to say that some health care professionals support drug legalisation because Doctors depend on drug users for work? There is no fucking shortage of work for Doctors in Australia in fact there is a shortage of Doctors if anything.

 

Its not surprising that he can't see that its the drug laws which create the social problems associated with drug use, not the drugs themselves.

[bufo marinus]

He refers to the failed US prohibition era of alcohol incorrectly. If he were to really look at that period in history closely he would find that prohibition actually led to a massive increase in alcohol consumption before it was finally scrapped.

These people are so far behind the times it's comical.

[Nooby]

So let me see if I got this right. Doctors working with drug patients are encouraging liberalisation in order to keep the work flow going?

 

And this is bad.

 

What about big pharma that actively seeks to keep away from natural remedies (of any sort) that could help to make them well instead of being perpetually sick enough to continue to buy pills that never actually treat the cause, only the symptoms?

 

Or the U.S. govt. who preaches against drug but is (apparantly) the biggest importer of illegal drugs?

 

I had this same argument the other day on the website of a Christian blogger who had a little rant against MJ. When i replied with some facts and figures he edited my reply to get rid of the main points then started a personal attack instead of addressing the points that were left. He then continued the barrage but has refused to put up any of my replies.

 

It seems the world is full of fools with agendas, and a handful of people who just want the truth of any matter, it's very frustrating, but it is what it is i guess. Maybe the best we can do is to limit the power of those who seek to stifle non-violent dissent and call them out for what they really are.

 

 

Sorry for the rant.

[John Robert]

Hi.This is John Robert.I am impressed with this blog.I got the information that i require.Here is some thing for you.I think you can find some useful information from here.

 

 

==========================================================

 

JOHN

 

Drug Addiction Treatment