| National |
 |
| Review |
A Review of
Our National Drug Policy Reveals:
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There
are an extremely high number of deaths caused annually by legal
drug use: 400,000 from tobacco use, 125,000 from use of alcohol.
Over-the-counter drugs pose significant risk to health. Fifty percent
of emergency room admissions and 70% of all drug-related deaths
involve prescription drugs.
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The focus
on illegal drugs gives a false impression that legal drugs are safe
and diverts funding away from drug consumer safety education, and
treatment for use of all drugs.
-
Slick
drug advertisements bombard us with little mention of possible negative
effects.
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The United
States has the world's highest incarceration rate; the majority
are imprisoned for drug crimes.
-
Social
services are overwhelmed, too often because productive heads of
household are in jail for nonviolent drug crimes.
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Violent
crime increases due to prohibition.
-
Law enforcement
suffers alienation, corruption and loss of cooperation in investigating
crime, just as with alcohol prohibition.
-
Civil
forfeiture of homes and property affects whole families, especially
children.
-
Children
are taken from homes because of the presence of small amounts of
drugs.
-
Urine
testing violates privacy rights.
-
Jobs and
licenses are denied based upon urine tests that do not prove use
or intoxication on the job.
-
People
are denied access to drugs that will save or improve the quality
of their life.
-
The use
of hemp for fuel, fiber and food is prohibited.
Tobacco use causes over 475,000 deaths.
Alcohol use causes over 135,000 deaths.
Prescription drugs (properly administered) kill between 119,000 and
199,000 people .
Twenty-eight percent of all hospitalized patients
(8.8 million hospitalizations per year)
experience an adverse drug reaction.
Aspirin alone kills hundreds.
Over-the-counter drugs can have deadly side effects.
Illegal drug use causes fewer than 15,000 deaths.
Cannabis (marijuana) use kills no one.
Above information courtesy of National Institute on Drug Abuse.
MAMA's Conclusion
The harm done to families and children due to the current national drug
policy far exceeds the potential harm from drug use, misuse and abuse.
Our drug policy alienates those who need help the most, and punishes
innocent families, especially children.
Harm reduction, with respect for human dignity, is the most sound approach.
