Should we treat drug addicts as a public health problem or a criminal justice one?

Published January 25, 2011

Question by The Intellectual: Should we treat drug addicts as a public health problem or a criminal justice one?
Victims of addiction to hard drugs such as Crystal meth, Crack cocaine and Heroin often must lead a life of crime to support their habit.

The reason these people are imprisoned is because they are a harm to themselves and society and often do commit crimes. When you separate the drug addicts from society:

– They aren’t committing crimes
– They aren’t a danger to themselves or society
– They can serve as an example and deterrence to potential future drug abusers as to what the road of drug abuse will lead to.

However, I do recognize that our prisons are overflowed and overcrowded and that this is a medical condition.

So: Should we treat drug addicts as a public health problem or a criminal justice problem?

Thanks

Best answer:

Answer by Ole S
well both, it’s their own faults their addicts, they all started somewhere by will. it’s their faults, lock them up, i have no sympathy for those people.

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