Pubdate: Thu, 12 Nov 2015
Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC)
Copyright: 2015 Postmedia Network Inc.
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477
Author: Michael Nowak
Page: B7
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v15/n639/a03.html

ADDICTION IS NOT A MORAL FAILING

Re: Drug addiction is a problem that could be fixed, Column, Nov. 7

Ian Mulgrew ended his column on the province's inadequate addiction
treatment options with the question "why?" The answer is simple: there
is no overwhelming political will to properly address addiction, since
the public at large still sees it as a moral failing instead of a disease.

Collective ideas about social issues like addiction still reflect the
judgmental puritanism of centuries past. Old beliefs die hard,
especially ones that allow us to fence off our empathy - and our tax
dollars - from people we think should bear all of the fault for their
situation. Substantive progress cannot happen until attitudes catch up
to the reality that addiction, whether to alcohol or OxyContin or
heroin, is a disease deserving effective treatment.

Mulgrew and the rest of the press must continue to enlighten the
public, both in the scientific truths of addiction as well as putting
real faces on the disease. Media can be a prime mover in taking
perceptions out of the realm of morality to the proper one - public
health. And until we see them as people and not moral failures,
addicts will continue to be marginalized.

Michael Nowak

Vancouver
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MAP posted-by: Matt