Harm Reduction: A More Realistic And Viable Drug Policy. [View All]

Baltimore is having it's share of problems. Most of which are coming from black market drugs funding Gangs that are moving in and taking over. Baltimore City has a lil over 3,000 cops and 60,000 heroin addicts. That's just heroin addicts. You do the math and tell me who's gonna win the War On Drugs in Baltimore. If we continue down this war path Baltimore will get another fort when the Police Department becomes Ft. Apache. Our some what delusional Police Commissioner think he can fight & arrest his way out of the problem. But that's not the only curve he's behind on. His Gang information is also out dated. DMI is no longer a white's only gang. Hasn't been for quite some time. DMI is a home grown gang that started right here in Maryland's prisons. If his intelligence on a local gang is that out dated. I would hate to see how bad his intelligence on out of state gangs is. But Baltimore is uniquely poised to actually solve the problems it faces.

In Baltimore along with our historic forts we also have historic hospitals on the cutting edge of medical technology. The whole concept of Shock Trauma treatment and the golden hour was discovered and pioneered here in Baltimore at the University of Maryland Hospital by Dr. R. Adams Cowley. We also have the historic Johns Hopkins Hospital. That's a teaching hospital where you have older doctors teaching younger doctors. When both of them aren't learning from the patients that come in. We also have Sheppard Pratt which is a psychiatric hospital. All of these are world class hospitals that provide the very best in care. This is why Baltimore is uniquely poised to deal with it's drug problem. You're not going to find a better medical safety net anywhere in the world for a real workable solution to the problem. This one will actually eliminate more problems than it creates. We call it Harm Reduction. Baltimore need to hit the pioneer trail once again.

In Harm Reduction we are looking to reduce the harm that drugs do to users and society. We're not looking to eliminate harm. That's what prohibition is all about it's unrealistic and unattainable goals makes it a miserable failure. By simply seeking to reduce the harm. We create realistic and obtainable goals that can succeed. We've already taken some baby steps in this area and they are producing documented results. We are prescribing NARCAN to heroin users. Our OD death rate has been reduced. It wasn't eliminated. But it was decreased from the level that Prohibition put it at and it can be further reduced with full scale Harm reduction.

Full Scale Harm Reduction involves the legalization of all drugs. It will take Drug manufacturing and sales off the street corners and out of neighborhoods. It will put them in Drug Control Board (DCB) Stores and Clinics. Here the manufacturing and distribution of drugs can be regulated and taxed. We gain the benefits of safer drug manufacturing practices. Such as uniform purity and dosage. The medical professionals at the DCB stores and clinics can provide drug education to users. This much get you high, this much gets you crazy and this much gets you dead. This also puts users in touch with medical professional at the Point of Purchase. For the users that have decided they are addicts and drugs are a problem for them that they need help with. They can also get a referral for drug treatment the same place they get their drugs.

This approach should also help reduce crime. Your hitting these violent gangs in the purse. You're depriving the black market of HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS ANNUALLY. Once the Government regulates and controls the drug market. The money that is derived from drug sales, we can't stop, can now be put to more constructive uses. Like drug education and treatment. Community Recreational Centers that that keep kids minds challenged and occupied with sports and arts. So they don't feel the need to challenge and occupy them with drugs. Harm Reduction can only do more good than harm. Because if it doesn't. What we're doing isn't actually Harm Reduction. We can't eliminate the harm drugs do to people and society. But we can greatly reduce that Harm. That is what Harm Reduction is all about.