Subject: Re: [drugwar] Elmer loses his temper [was:] Drug treatment: Just say no Date: Fri, 2 Apr 2004 01:54:15 -0500 To: From: Bob Armstrong On Thu, 1 Apr 2004 23:43:42 -0500, Elmer Elevator wrote: >=A0But when a state seeks to offer or fund =A0non-coercive merical= treatment for substance-abuse ... this kind of government= =A0"interference" has my vote, bigtime. It's the political= embodiment of =A0my dream of reform, something approaching= Treatment on Demand. >=A0=A0 >=A0The most frustrating part of working at =A0shelters was that,= when some really fucked-up person hit bottom and wanted (or= =A0said he/she wanted) medical help, detox, rehab, treatment, we= could bloody our =A0fingers dialing the phone all over the region,= AND THERE WERE NO BEDS AVAILABLE. =A0(And now, believe it or not,= under the Romney administration in Massachusetts -- =A0there's= EVEN LESS TREATMENT AVAILABLE!) So it's clear that you can't rely on the government even when= they saw they intend to fund your charities . Would you be willing to , do you , donate to such needs yourself= ? .... >=A0 I've never seen a more =A0reckless attack on the public health= in my life. You should be locked up. It's a public health issue even less than second hand smoke . It's a personal health issue . It's not about anything= contagious . -----Original Message----- From: JewishCo1@aol.com Subject: SSDPTALK: Drug treatment: Just say no >=A0>Drug users can pay for their =A0own "treatment" if they really= want help. >=A0>They found the money =A0to buy drugs, they can find the money to= buy >=A0>treatment. Is this not true ? ( I've always thought it is absurd to claim that drug injectors couldn't afford their own needles . ) >=A0>The most popular way of helping people with drug and alcohol= =A0problems >=A0>is through free self-help programs such as Alcoholics= Anonymous =A0(AA) >=A0>and SMART Recovery. Citizens create these programs and groups= on >=A0>their own. They are self-supporting. Self help means self= help. It =A0doesn't >=A0>mean state help. The state should stay out of the religious= and =A0secular >=A0>cure of souls. Is this not true ? >=A0>If people are willing to break =A0the law to get money to buy= drugs, they >=A0>should be punished for breaking =A0the law. Drug use is not a= valid excuse >=A0>for law-breaking. Is this not true ? > >Many illegal =A0drug dealers are neither violent nor drug >=A0>users. Why do they need =A0treatment? Treatment for what?= They're in jail >=A0>for illegal, consensual =A0business transactions. Medicine has= nothing to >=A0>do with it. Is this not true ? Use of force in the name of charity is not only immoral but dangerously dysfunctional . --=A0 =A0Bob Armstrong -- http://CoSy.com -- 212-285-1864 Libertarian Presidential Candidates =A0:= http://CoSy.com/Liberty.htm Restore our Right to Relax : =A0http://ny.lp.org/cgi-bin/petition.cgi?Against_the_Smoking_Ban =A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A02004/04/02 1:31:50 AM