Instruction
Imagine that you are part of a 5-member committee established to help formulate a drug policy for New York State. Two members argue that people who use drugs in problematic ways are “bad” and should be punished. They believe that the war on drugs must be continued, that addicts choose to create problems for themselves and for society, and that this population should be stigmatized and treated like criminals. The two other members disagree. They are familiar with 12-Step programs and think this is the only way to successfully address addiction.
Using what you have learned from our course texts and what you have learned from NIDA’s Principles of Drug Addiction Treatment, write an essay in which you argue for alternatives to their suggestions. Are their ideas misguided and/or inadequate? Explain and identify what you think should be included in the policy. (What do you think would work best? Why?) You must create your own thesis statement. Be sure to support your argument with references to our course readings.
You may discuss any of the texts we read this semester, but you must refer to at least two of the course readings listed below and to something you learned from NIDA’s Principles of Drug Addiction Treatment.
Gabor Maté, “Reducing Harm,” In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts
Nic Sheff, Tweak
Betsy Pearl, “Ending the War on Drugs”
(Pearl’s article can also be found online: https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/criminal- justice/reports/2018/06/27/452819/ending-war-drugs-numbers/)
Also, write title.