DeThrone The Drug Czar

Due to the incredible response to my last post on this issue-- thank you everyone who responded and who forwarded it and who took action-- I was asked to write more about the possible nomination of Jim Ramstad as drug czar for Mother Jones and why it is a bad idea. Since then, drug policy, AIDS and addiction professionals have organized several sign-on letters urging President Obama to reconsider.

As many commenters noted, one of the best ideas of all would be to get rid of the position entirely, given its baggage. The Mother Jones piece is here.

I also wrote a summary of the data on needle exchange and why Ramstad is wrong to oppose it for stats.org, available here

And, for anyone who wants to read even more about addiction, in this instance about poor coverage of addiction treatment and why we certainly don't need another person who is pushing 12-step programs as the only way in the drug czar's office, I wrote this about the New Yorker coverage of "luxury rehab" here. More to come!

Comments

[tabt]

We do not need a Drug Czar, especially a corrupt one who is a Drug Warrior aligned with brutal, inhumane, and very lucrative sham recovery organizations. We do not need a DEA or the Controlled Substance Act either. Prohibition does not work. Never has. Never will.

Because of our government's attitudes and our government employees desire to remain employed, millions of people wil suffer horribly and die every year because their doctors have been frightened into not prescribing the opiate medications that their chronic pain patients need.

Anyone who reads this should remember that you are just one car accident, work injury, surgery, illness, or even a fall, away from the living hell of becoming a chronic pain patient who will be refused treatment.

New administration, same despicable policies.

[Karen Z]

Couldn't agree with you more. I hope the powers that be will listen up.

[Peter007]

The war on drugs, begun by Nixon, has been an abysmal failure by any standard. The costs in lost lives and dollars is a national disgrace. Obama needs to get smart by eliminating the drug czar and place a real drug treatment program into affect.

[mediamarv]

Save money... end the whole drug-incarceration-prison guard-DEA industry.
Take their budgets and give to schools.