[substance abuse, mentions of drugs & alcohol]

ik every1 loves 2 dehumanise n demonise addicts, but can u fuckin stop w/ all the names ?

nobody deserves 2 b called a “j*nkie” or an “crack/meth/whatever-head” or a “tweaker”. it’s gross.

addiction is a health issue whatever way u wanna spin it. nobody wants their life ruined by addiction. nobody chooses 2 become an addict. nobody fuckin wants 2 fuck up their relationships w/ the ppl around them.

it’s not a choice.

do u know how many ppl w/ mental health issues, chronic pain, disabilities, n trauma smoke ? how many abuse alcohol & drugs ? do u know how similarly high these rates r in marginalised communities ? addicts aren’t inherently bad people. we’re people - just trying 2 escape.

i’m so tired of seeing the pure fuckin disgust n contempt shown towards addicts. i get ppl who r personally affected being angry (i was fr a long time), but not random ppl w/ no knowledge of addiction spouting off w/ their hateful shit fr no fuckin reason.

the media has a large part 2 play in this, but it’s not fuckin difficult 2 educate yrself on this. all major public health bodies across the world have easily accessible info n resources. there’s even entire programs set up 2 help educate ppl abt this stuff.

attitudes towards addicts & addiction as a public health issue have improved a lot in jurisdictions practising harm reduction & safe consumption.

rates of addiction & ODs decrease massively, drug-related crime drops, & overall public health improves - both mentally & physically.

i wish we followed a similar model here. but nah, apparently it’s better 2 destroy families n communities, n impose 30 day sentences that release addicts at their most vulnerable time relapse-wise. we have 2 do better.

criminalisation only harms ppl. ppl die from the withdrawal effects of some drugs cuz it’s so harsh on the body. n if u want some1 2 get clean, throwing them in prison ain’t gonna help. that just exacerbates the issue n puts them in an unsafe environment w/ access 2 unsafe drugs.

i feel like if my dad had gotten actual tangible, material support n help, maybe he wouldn’t have died at 24 uno ? maybe he’d have stayed clean. maybe he’d still b here. but nah he got a bunch of prison sentences instead of help.

how do we live in a place that’s got so many fuckin resources n so much cash, n yet we’ve got epidemics of homelessness, alcoholism, n drug addiction ? why is this not a priority ?? public health n wellness is supposed 2 fuckin matter.