Decriminalizing Drug Use: A Call for Change

In a recent proposal concerning individuals who use drugs, San Francisco’s mayor, London Breed, <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/breed-drug-screening-treatment-welfare-18388195.php#" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">suggests</a> the implementation of substance abuse screening and treatment as a prerequisite for low-income residents to access welfare funds. Earlier this year, Breed made the decision to deploy 130 officers onto the city’s streets with the intention of apprehending individuals who use drugs and coercing them into drug treatment programs. Between May and June 2023, a total of fifty-eight individuals were <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/sf-mayor-breed-drug-crackdown-sheriff-18140952.php" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">detained</a>, with a significant majority of sixty percent belonging to marginalized communities, specifically people of color. As of late September, a concerning number of 476 individuals have been arrested under the suspicion of drug use or being under the influence of drugs while in public. However, as highlighted by police chief Bill Scott, it is disheartening to note that out of the nearly 500 individuals who have been arrested, only <a href="https://sanfrancisco.granicus.com/player/clip/44371?view_id=21&redirect=true&h=06762c356e219d188810d8bd36fb3584" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">two</a> have been provided with the opportunity to access drug treatment. This raises concerns about the lack of support and resources available to those who are struggling with substance abuse issues within our society. <a href="https://medium.com/the-left-is-right/decriminalizing-drug-use-a-call-for-change-ccfe70c5f02a">Website</a>