Chris Christie's humane comments about drugs

[nikki25]

Ignoring the fact he blames Obama for the heroin epidemic : eye roll: he made a very pronounced statement. If you get a chance watch the video. It isn't too long. He discusses how is mother was a smoker for a very long time and died of lung cancer, yet, no one questioned her health or blamed her; I thought it was pretty empowering. 


www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2015/11/2/9659798/chris-christie-war-on-drugs



Watch: Chris Christie's wise, humane comments about how America gets drug addiction wrong

Updated by German Lopez on November 2, 2015, 5:48 p.m. ET @germanrlopez [e-mail]



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We don't question when someone with tobacco-caused lung cancer checks into a hospital for treatment. So why should we question someone who's trying to avoid a deadly outcome with heroin, cocaine, or alcohol?



That was the question posed by Republican presidential candidate and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie at a recent town hall. The governor spoke about his mom getting treatment for lung cancer after decades of smoking — and the contradiction that seems to pose for drug policy as a whole. "Somehow, if it's heroin or cocaine or alcohol, we say, 'They decided it, they're getting what they deserved,'" Christie said, the Huffington Post reported.



Christie said he wants that to change — and emphasized a public health over criminal justice approach when it comes to drugs.



It may seem like common sense, but this is a big political and policy shift





It seems like a simple point: Addiction is a disease, and it should be treated as one. But it's a somewhat revolutionary idea in terms of policy. For decades, drug policy has focused on a criminal justice approach that treats drug use and abuse as an issue that should be solved through the police, jails, and prisons — not doctors, clinics, and hospitals. In 2014 alone, more than 1.5 million people were arrested for "drug abuse violations," according to FBI data. About 83.1 percent of arrests were for possession, and only 16.9 percent were for sale or manufacturing a drug.



Criminal justice reformers have long decried the criminal justice approach, arguing that it would be much more sensible — and humane — to tackle drug abuse as a public health issue. With the ongoing opioid painkiller and heroin epidemic, it seems like the country is finally moving in that direction — with federal and state officials increasingly focusing on reforming law enforcement and courts to favor a public health approach. Christie, for example, signed legislation that expanded drug courts that emphasize treatment over jail and prison for addicts.



"WE NEED TO START TREATING PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY, NOT JAILING THEM"



Addiction "can happen to anyone," Christie said. "So we need to start treating people in this country, not jailing them. We need to give them the tools they need to recover. Because every life is precious. Every life is an individual gift from God."



It cannot be overstated how big of a political shift this is from just recently. A few decades ago, both parties overwhelmingly favored tough-on-crime approaches to fight drug use and abuse. In the 1980s, then-Sen. Joe Biden helped write and pass legislation that imposed strict mandatory minimum prison sentences for drug offenses, and President Ronald Reagan signed the bill into law. A few years later, President George H.W. Bush held up a bag of crack cocaine in a TV broadcast from the Oval Office and vowed to escalate the war on drugs. And a few years after that, President Bill Clinton signed a crime law that encouraged states to expand prison sentences and policing.



So it's telling that the bipartisan support is flipping in the other direction. Christie, a Republican, wants a public health approach. Democrats like President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have said the same. It seems like common sense to a lot of people, but it's a serious change when it comes to policy.

[cookiemdough]

So because the war on drugs is a sore subject with me, despite the fact that I agree we should look at treatment instead of jail, I am annoyed as hell at the examples used by Christie. I get that it probably resonates with the crowd he spoke to but those people in his example are not the ones lining the jail cells. It makes me skeptical as to how far his position goes. Is it just for the young white 16 year old on heroin or the 50 year old prominent lawyer that got addicted to pain meds after an injury...or does his view also extend to the poor crack addict or the homeless with drug addictions?

[shauni27]

Nov 3, 2015 13:03:49 GMT -5 cookiemdough said:

So because the war on drugs is a sore subject with me, despite the fact that I agree we should look at treatment instead of jail, I am annoyed as hell at the examples used by Christie. I get that it probably resonates with the crowd he spoke to but those people in his example are not the ones lining the jail cells. It makes me skeptical as to how far his position goes. Is it just for the young white 16 year old on heroin or the 50 year old prominent lawyer that got addicted to pain meds after an injury...or does his view also extend to the poor crack addict or the homeless with drug addictions?

Yes.  This is the question we need to ask--if you are only talking about a subset of users that you want to help--the ones who come from white, affluent families, then this really does not work.

I heard on our local public radio today that a town nearby is doing a trial period where those who turn in their drugs to police will not be arrested if they agree to get treatment and try to better themselves.  This is being done in (if I remember correctly) 34 cities across 10 states and I cannot wait to see the results.

[nikki25]

Nov 3, 2015 13:03:49 GMT -5 cookiemdough said:

So because the war on drugs is a sore subject with me, despite the fact that I agree we should look at treatment instead of jail, I am annoyed as hell at the examples used by Christie. I get that it probably resonates with the crowd he spoke to but those people in his example are not the ones lining the jail cells. It makes me skeptical as to how far his position goes. Is it just for the young white 16 year old on heroin or the 50 year old prominent lawyer that got addicted to pain meds after an injury...or does his view also extend to the poor crack addict or the homeless with drug addictions?

I do not disagree with you at all. And, I understand why you feel his examples are...condescending? Maybe not the right word, BUT, he did use examples that he witnessed in HIS life. As someone that 'knows' Christine, I was just was amazed with what he said. He has definitely gone down the very wrong road of republican control but for a republican thought his comments were somewhat progressive.

At the end he talks about being pro-life and that pro-life isn't just the 9 months in the womb but for a 16 year old child, a 50 year old man, etc. I think this is one of the first times I have EVER heard a pro-life politician state that pro-life occurs at every age and that we need to focus on those adults/teens/kids that are out of the womb. 

[nikki25]

Nov 3, 2015 13:57:35 GMT -5 shauni27 said:

Nov 3, 2015 13:03:49 GMT -5 cookiemdough said:

So because the war on drugs is a sore subject with me, despite the fact that I agree we should look at treatment instead of jail, I am annoyed as hell at the examples used by Christie. I get that it probably resonates with the crowd he spoke to but those people in his example are not the ones lining the jail cells. It makes me skeptical as to how far his position goes. Is it just for the young white 16 year old on heroin or the 50 year old prominent lawyer that got addicted to pain meds after an injury...or does his view also extend to the poor crack addict or the homeless with drug addictions?

Yes.  This is the question we need to ask--if you are only talking about a subset of users that you want to help--the ones who come from white, affluent families, then this really does not work.

I heard on our local public radio today that a town nearby is doing a trial period where those who turn in their drugs to police will not be arrested if they agree to get treatment and try to better themselves.  This is being done in (if I remember correctly) 34 cities across 10 states and I cannot wait to see the results.

I get what you are saying, but, I think this was Christie's experience and was just relaying what he has witnessed even though that may be a white privileged experience. I can't blame him for relaying his experience. It is more real than speaking of situations that he has not witnessed. Listen, this is not the answer, but, he is talking about it. 

Drugs hurt everyone. Drugs are not poverty-restrictive, there is no line it can't cross. It affects every class, color and gender. We all need to be talking about it. Everyone. 

[tacosforlife]

I read an article the other day that gave some play to the issue that cookiemdough is raising. Those who have been fighting for changes to our drug policy are frustrated that only now that heroin seems to be a white problem that alternatives to incarceration are being seriously discussed. That said, nobody talked to by the reporter wanted to NOT change drug policy out of spite or anything. Obviously they welcome anyone to join them in their fight. But their frustration is completely understandable and is a great example of the systemic racism that many white folks deny exists.

[orangeblossom]

Nov 3, 2015 14:25:23 GMT -5 tacosforlife said:

I read an article the other day that gave some play to the issue that cookiemdough is raising. Those who have been fighting for changes to our drug policy are frustrated that only now that heroin seems to be a white problem that alternatives to incarceration are being seriously discussed. That said, nobody talked to by the reporter wanted to NOT change drug policy out of spite or anything. Obviously they welcome anyone to join them in their fight. But their frustration is completely understandable and is a great example of the systemic racism that many white folks deny exists.

I think we may have read the same article, or one very similar to it. It's like now that heroin is rampaging white communities, heroin add its are looked at with compassion vs. scourge of the earth.

A few weeks ago, a young white doctor o think was found dead outside of her apartment door on some high-rent apt bldg in NYC. Turns it it was a heroin overdose. Many people were Kiel why is this news, people die of heroin ODs every day. It was news because she was young, white , female and highly-educated.

Though I'm annoyed and sad, that it takes a different population to get noticed, I hope this attention results on less jail sentences and more treatment for all people who are affected, not just the "can't believe they're addicts" addicts.

[tacosforlife]

Exactly, orangeblossom. It's not like those who work in this area don't want white addicts to get help. But they have every reason to be frustrated with the lack of attention it got when it was only seen as a black problem.

Incidentally my first knowledge of heroin was as a white suburban drug almost 20 years ago so it wasn't until I watched The Wire (how white people is that?) that I realized it had a reputation as an urban drug.

[shauni27]

Nov 3, 2015 14:47:24 GMT -5 orangeblossom said:

Nov 3, 2015 14:25:23 GMT -5 tacosforlife said:

I read an article the other day that gave some play to the issue that cookiemdough is raising. Those who have been fighting for changes to our drug policy are frustrated that only now that heroin seems to be a white problem that alternatives to incarceration are being seriously discussed. That said, nobody talked to by the reporter wanted to NOT change drug policy out of spite or anything. Obviously they welcome anyone to join them in their fight. But their frustration is completely understandable and is a great example of the systemic racism that many white folks deny exists.

I think we may have read the same article, or one very similar to it. It's like now that heroin is rampaging white communities, heroin add its are looked at with compassion vs. scourge of the earth.

Yes; I am so frustrated when I hear people all around me complaining about the heroine epidemic like it is new.  Sure, it was not so prevalent in rural, white Vermont as it is now (it really is all over the state--see the Rolling Stone article), but just because it is "in your face" in this white, neighborhood community does not mean that it was not an issue before for POC and minorities all over the country.  We just didn't want to deal with it because it was not impacting us daily.  Now that it is here, and white middle class kids are using it, "it's an epidemic and we need to do what we can to stop it!"

I also get so.fucking.angry when I hear commenters around here say that "the only reason black people come up here is to sell our kids drugs." 

[tacosforlife]

I know to many in the public health community this has not the case, but for politicians, when drugs affect black people, it's due to character failings, but when they affect white people, it's a public health crisis.

But racism is dead 'cause black president, y'all.

[nikki25]

Nov 3, 2015 14:25:23 GMT -5 tacosforlife said:

I read an article the other day that gave some play to the issue that cookiemdough is raising. Those who have been fighting for changes to our drug policy are frustrated that only now that heroin seems to be a white problem that alternatives to incarceration are being seriously discussed. That said, nobody talked to by the reporter wanted to NOT change drug policy out of spite or anything. Obviously they welcome anyone to join them in their fight. But their frustration is completely understandable and is a great example of the systemic racism that many white folks deny exists.

No, definitely! I am a white person but I work in criminal defense for the indigent and see this none.stop. I get it. The drug mandatory laws are bullshit. BUT, regardless, drugs affect everyone. All colors and nationalities ; it doesn't discriminate. Christie spoke to his peers, think mostly white, rich, I am sure, but I think he made a point. Drugs are drugs and they ruin lives and families. IDK, it definitely hits home to me. 

[nikki25]

Nov 3, 2015 15:24:28 GMT -5 tacosforlife said:

I know to many in the public health community this has not the case, but for politicians, when drugs affect black people, it's due to character failings, but when they affect white people, it's a public health crisis.

But racism is dead 'cause black president, y'all.

I do understand. I wanna say we need to take race out of this, because, truly the drug is such an epidemic and affects everyone it touches. It is one of the most addictive drugs ever and is not an 'experimental' drug for instance. So, I feel that any and all attention is needed at this point. And, in my personal experience there is not the same mandatory maximums for heroin. It is pretty clear against the board as opposed to the crack, cocaine bullshit in the 80's.

[cookiemdough]

Nov 3, 2015 20:45:25 GMT -5 nikki25 said:

Nov 3, 2015 15:24:28 GMT -5 tacosforlife said:

I know to many in the public health community this has not the case, but for politicians, when drugs affect black people, it's due to character failings, but when they affect white people, it's a public health crisis.

But racism is dead 'cause black president, y'all.

I do understand. I wanna say we need to take race out of this, because, truly the drug is such an epidemic and affects everyone it touches. It is one of the most addictive drugs ever and is not an 'experimental' drug for instance. So, I feel that any and all attention is needed at this point. And, in my personal experience there is not the same mandatory maximums for heroin. It is pretty clear against the board as opposed to the crack, cocaine bullshit in the 80's.

Eh I will take race out of it when we treat drug offenses the same regardless (in society not on this board). Crack is highly addictive and the number of people in jail as a result as astounding. So yes it chaps my ass regarding compassion to heroin because I can see how it could easily turn the tide for that particular drug but leave the scorched earth for crack and mandatory minimums in the rear view mirror. Here we are legalizing marijuana and yet the only reason we are revisiting mandatory minimums is because of Obama has decided to make it an issue. So let's not pretend the focus on this particular drug will necessarily trickle down. Maybe it will which would be great, but the likelihood is not.

[bimbi284]

The best advocate for changing our approach to the heroin epidemic has been the white suburban parents (mothers, especially), who have lost a kid to overdose.

It's a tragedy that this is the case, but those moms helped us pass laws in Ilinois that would have otherwise been overlooked cuz racism, basically.

[lolo]

Between guns, drugs and women's health, I'm thinking being in public health must be damn frustrating.