Democracy Now Analysis #6

Steven Huber

Soc 122, M-W@5:30

Democracy Now #6/War on Drugs

5/19/2016

"2 Steps Forward, 1 Step Back": Will Obama's New Opioid Proposal Continue the Failed War on Drugs?

            In 2014 and 2015 a record number of people passed away from drug overdose. What is so alarming about this epidemic is the majority of those dying are dying from prescription opiate and heroin use. President Obama at the National Prescription and Heroin Abuse summit in Atlanta took a vow to treat drug abuse as a medical issue instead of a criminal issue. He met with family members, medical professors, and law enforcement officials which all had the same feelings and concerns as President Obama has as well. Dr. Lena Wen head of Baltimore's city health commissioner gave a very tragic example of what types of drug abuse cases she is dealing with in the E.R. and in the early stages of recovery. She explained of a first-hand account that a competitive swimmer was prescribed pain killers for a sport related injury in which this person made a number of attempts to seek help in Dr. Wen's emergency room. She states the main problem she had with this person's case and many others was being able to get rehabilitation help at the time the addicted needed it. With this individual case Dr. Wen was very emotional when she said that this girl was asking for help but there was not any drug rehabilitation facilities that were willing to admit her for at least two weeks. This was the last time this poor addicted girl would be heard of. The next time anyone had seen her is when they found her dead from an opiate overdose the day after she sought help from Dr. Wen. This is where President Obama's proposal enters the picture. It will allow state and federal funding to be used at the time the person asking for help needs it. Also when law enforcement come in contact with these needy people they won't be arrested, instead they will be taken to a rehab to get help for their problem.