New Drug Initiative Unveiled Featuring Emphasis on Prevention and Treatment

The newest initiative in tackling the US’s drug problem offers a more educated perspective on the issue which has been at the forefront of American politics since the 1960s, even becoming a motto-worthy cause in the 1980s and has still never really fought with success.

Hoping to take a step back from what Harold Pollack’s article from the NPR website says are “operations against drug suppliers which have little demonstrated value,” this new approach will consider the more underfunded yet key areas of prevention and treatment, rather than focusing all efforts on dealers, border control and crop eradication.  A step in the right direction, to lessen the demand and therefore lessening the supply.

The new health care bill has begun to address the serious issue of drug addiction by increasing and improving diagnosis of addiction, and in 2014 will help the at-risk communities find the help they need both with the addictions they already may have and the long-term health effects that come with addictions to drugs and alcohol.

Things like psychiatric care and access to treatment for not only addictions, but mental health issues will also help these communities better deal with the problems already afflicting them. Hopefully access to continuing care programs like AiR’s RAP will also be included in Medicaid coverage, helping those who receive assistance in their recoveries stay clean, sober and healthy for a lifetime, rather than just trying, failing and resuming the destructive behavior without hope.

Unfortunately, as the article points out, if the prevention and direct improvements to treatment are still underfunded the initiative will be crippled before it even really begins, a better outlook may lead the way, but without the punch in funding and vocal support from those in power like VP Biden, the approach might fail just like all the other past attempts.

Tags: drug abuse, drug addiction, drug treatment expansion