This is a topic that boils my blood. Nothing is more inhumane than criminalizing folks for using drugs to cope with their trauma. Every time I got arrested for my addiction, my addiction got worse. My shame and trauma compounded, making me less likely to get better. Carrying around a criminal record is heavy. It hinders the hiring process, makes me ineligible for decent housing and insurance coverage, and creates a mountain of fees and debt. The criminal justice system is not interested in healing people. They’re interested in punishment and keeping people trapped.
Without money and white privilege, the criminal justice system is inescapable. The war on drugs is nothing more than a monetization of people’s pain. Reaching out for help is terrifying because it results in heavy stigma and potential jail time. It’s no wonder overdoses have reached epidemic levels.
We live in a world that believes people like me are unworthy of fundamental human rights. Worse yet, we live in a world that believes alcohol use is okay for some people while we criminalize others for the same behavior. It makes no sense.
If we want folks to heal from addiction, the criminalization of addiction must end.
Handcuffs are not the answer.
Progress.
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