The lack of policy of “harm reduction” concerns bioethicists and specialists in additions
In the move to legalize drugs for recreation and medical use in American states, we have reported, in a recent report, the devasting effect in youth and children (read HERE), today The Washington Post reports “The (drug abuse) death toll jumped by more than 21,000, or nearly 30 percent, from 2019, according to provisional data released by the National Center for Health Statistics, eclipsing the record set that year” The Washington Post, June 14, 2021.
What about the repeated failure after decades of drug prevention campaigns?
As is known, this data is the tip of an iceberg of substance abuse epidemic uncontrolled that is devasting American society also damaging youth health without an efficient prevention campaign (read more HERE) in the middle of coronavirus pandemic that increases the risk of drugs abuse, according to specialists.
Substance abuse epidemic uncontrolled, but “harm reduction” is not implemented for the addicted population
In a previous article on the matter, we said, “previous administrations centered on reducing supply or demand “haven’t led to reductions in substance use or demand or associated harms, including overdose deaths”, and suggest that if the Biden administration were to consider “[e]mbracing and implementing harm reduction principles for substance use in medical practice” (read HERE) at least the number of death could be reduced (read more HERE and NEJM article Bringing Harm Reduction into Health Policy — Combating the Overdoses).
In this scenario is difficult to understand that lawmakers with the passivity of health care providers are allowing and supporting the current great increase of drugs business. Not to mention the network of illicit sellers of drugs.
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