Pubdate: Mon, 09 Nov 2015 Source: New York Times (NY) Copyright: 2015 The New York Times Company Contact: http://www.nytimes.com/ref/membercenter/help/lettertoeditor.html Website: http://www.nytimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/298 Author: Stephen Gutwillig Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v15/n611/a06.html WHITE ATTITUDES ON HEROIN ADDICTION To the Editor: In addition to replacing cruel, judgmental attitudes about strangers and loved ones who struggle with addiction, we should change our overall approach to drug prevention and stop criminalizing drug possession outright. Many prescription overdose deaths and most heroin overdose deaths are in combination with another sedative, usually alcohol. That makes these terrible accidents all the more preventable. Replacing fear-based prevention messages, especially aimed at young people, with reality-based information can keep them safe if they ignore appeals to abstain. Thousands of Americans die needlessly because they weren't warned in plain language not to mix heroin or pain pills with alcohol. Moreover, we need to stop arresting people for possessing small amounts of any drug if they aren't behind the wheel of a car. Punishment doesn't cure addiction. It often worsens it. Decriminalizing drug possession does not affect rates of drug use. What it does do is remove obstacles to treating addiction as a health issue, reduce arrests and reduce the billions spent on criminal justice. As long as drug use remains a crime, people will be afraid to seek help. STEPHEN GUTWILLIG Deputy Exec. Director, Programs Drug Policy Alliance Los Angeles - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom