Pubdate: Tue, 21 Feb 2012
Source: Daily Nexus (UC Santa Barbara, CA Edu)
Copyright: 2012 Daily Nexus
Contact:  http://www.dailynexus.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2729
Author: David Washington

LEGALIZATION COULD HELP PUT END TO RAMPANT OVERDOSE 

After Whitney Houston's sudden death last Saturday, Tony Bennett 
didn't hesitate to publicly make the link to drugs that many 
suspected. At a Grammy pre-party, the 85-year-old addict in recovery 
stated: "First it was Michael Jackson, then it was Amy Winehouse and 
now the magnificent Whitney Houston. I'd like to have every gentleman 
and lady in this room commit themselves to get our government to 
legalize drugs."

Some point out that the problem with Bennett's statement is that it 
directly links the deaths of three famous musicians to the prohibition 
of drugs, which isn't exactly the case. The drugs that killed Michael 
Jackson and Amy Winehouse (and likely Whitney Houston if the 
prescription medication bottles found in her room are any indicator) 
were all legal. Jackson and (quite likely) Houston overdosed on 
prescription drugs prescribed by doctors while Winehouse died of acute 
alcohol intoxication.

Nevertheless, though legalizing currently illicit drugs wouldn't 
affect the availability of prescription medication or alcohol, 
Bennett's treatment for the recent rash of celebrity ODs is spot on. 
Jackson, Winehouse and Houston were undoubtedly all chronic drug 
addicts and died because of it, despite having the means to seek 
treatment. But considering the social stigma that relates drug use and 
addiction to weak willpower and poor morals, who can blame them? 
Society's demonization of drug addiction prevents addicts from 
admitting their own problems and hinders or prevents them from seeking 
treatment. This is especially true for celebrities who often have all 
their actions in the spotlight, whether they want them to be or not.

Legalizing drugs could also help to alleviate the issue of drug 
overdoses by allowing recreational drug users, who prefer currently 
illicit drugs, access to the prescriptions they abuse to indulge in 
their vices. Though it seems like increasing the number of people 
using currently illegal drugs would increase the number of people who 
overdose, there are several seldom-considered factors that increase 
the risk associated with prescription drug abuse:

1. Prescription drugs lack the taboo that illicit drugs have. Many 
prescription drug abusers consider it "self-medication" rather than 
drug abuse and addiction. This perpetuates their denial if they 
develop a dependency.

2. Popping a pill is easier than smoking a joint or snorting a line. 
Many avoid recreational drugs because the route of administration 
often involves an unfamiliar activity like smoking, snorting, or 
injecting a substance. Ingesting a pill is a task that the majority of 
Americans have done countless times before.

3. The medical industry wants to ignore the issue. Pharmaceutical 
companies don't want their products to be linked to the negative 
social effects of addiction because it would likely decrease their 
profits. Doctors who over-prescribe medication have the same incentive.

It isn't hyperbolic to call prescription-drug abuse the next crack 
cocaine. The sale of opioids (drugs like OxyContin, Demerol and 
Vicodin) increased by more than sixfold between 1997 and 2006. During 
that same period, overdose deaths increased by a factor of 2.6.

You could add more names to the list of OD'd celebs. Singer Brittany 
Murphy. Comedian Greg Giraldo. Playmate Anna Nicole Smith. Drummer 
James "The Rev" Sullivan. It's an epidemic. And Tony Bennett's 
recommendation to fight fire with fire by legalizing illicit 
recreational drugs may be the only way to slow it.
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