Time to Face Up to One of the Key Human Rights Challenges of Our Time
25 replies, posted
[quote]In 2010 an [URL="http://www.humanrightsanddrugs.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/IJHRDY-vol-2-2012-BINGHAM.pdf"]article[/URL] appeared in an Irish newspaper referring to a group of people as 'vermin'. 'Worthless', 'feral', 'useless scumbags', who, if they all died tomorrow, would cause the author to cheer. In the meantime he called for them to be sterilised.
[B]Can you guess which group?[/B] In Nepal there are signs from local authorities allowing members of the public to beat them up. In Viet Nam, China, Laos, Cambodia and other countries being a member of this group or even being suspected of it can lead to months or years of [URL="http://www.hrw.org/news/2012/07/24/drug-detention-centers-offer-torture-not-treatment"]detention without trial[/URL]. In the US, pregnant women who are members of this group give birth shackled to beds. In some countries being a member of this group means you have to be entered onto a [URL="http://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/reports/effects-drug-user-registration-laws-peoples-rights-and-health"]government registry[/URL].
This is the policy context in which millions have been imprisoned for non-violent offences, and [URL="http://www.release.org.uk/publications/numbers-black-and-white-ethnic-disparities-policing-and-prosecution-drug-offences"]racially biased policing[/URL] has gotten worse. It is responsible for the [URL="http://www.ihra.net/contents/1290"]majority of death sentences[/URL] in certain countries, with executions carried out to mark the special UN observance of its goals.[/quote]
Source: [URL]http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/damon-barett/human-rights-day_b_4411740.html[/URL]
What The Fuck.?
I've always been of the view that anybody can do as they like behind closed doors as long as it doesn't harm others around them or those close to them. That means small amounts of something (be it alcohol, drugs, or tobacco) that doesn't lead to an addiction to the same. If you find yourself addicted completely to something, try your best to give it up before you ruin your health and become a burden to society.
We can gently try to make people give up or reduce harmful habits, but that's still rather optimistic given the current trend of law enforcement. And as for the people who actually make this stuff and have it distributed - some of them had no choice but to do this to pay the bills, but the fellows who reap the huge profits associated with said controlled substances have a special place on my shit list.
The way most countries treat drug users/addicts is horrible. Even the UN Drug conventions ([URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single_Convention_on_Narcotic_Drugs"]here,[/URL] [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convention_on_Psychotropic_Substances"]here[/URL] and [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Convention_Against_Illicit_Traffic_in_Narcotic_Drugs_and_Psychotropic_Substances"]here[/URL]) are some of the least scientifically based conventions I've ever seen. The public just doesn't know enough about drugs or what causes certain people to use them.
[quote]Can you guess which group?[/quote]
For a moment I was guessing gypsies.
That's rather horrible. Of course, doing drugs is probably not the best way to live your life but then again it doesn't take away basic human rights. You can debate about that but if we truly want to be human ourselves doesn't this mean we need to treat other people like humans too? If I was beaten up everytime I smoke a cigarette (or in the past did some weed) or anything alike - maybe some even do harder stuff - it's hard to imagine. And besides: Who's better in this? People who do drugs or people who beat up drug users? I can't spot a big difference here.
I was expecting Muslims.
I was expecting homosexuals.
I was expecting transgenders
I thought it was white oppression.
[QUOTE]In the US, pregnant women who are members of this group give birth shackled to beds[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]I was expecting Muslims. [/QUOTE]
Muslim women give birth shackled to a bed in the USA?
[QUOTE]I was expecting homosexuals. [/QUOTE]
Homosexual women give birth shackled to a bed in the USA?
[QUOTE]I was expecting transgenders[/QUOTE]
Transgender women give birth shackled to a bed in the USA?
Are your worldviews totally distorted?
lol give them a break
[QUOTE=SuddenImpact;43136338]Muslim women give birth shackled to a bed in the USA?
Homosexual women give birth shackled to a bed in the USA?
Transgender women give birth shackled to a bed in the USA?
Are your worldviews totally distorted?[/QUOTE]
They meant from reading the thread title.
[QUOTE=SuddenImpact;43136338]Muslim women give birth shackled to a bed in the USA?
Homosexual women give birth shackled to a bed in the USA?
Transgender women give birth shackled to a bed in the USA?
Are your worldviews totally distorted?[/QUOTE]
Drug users give birth shackled to a bed in the USA?
Because I've never heard that before.
yeah drug users are treated like absolute shit, fortunately rehab is a growing field in psychology. with the war on drugs though in america, i can't see stigma against drug users getting better though.
After reading the blurb in the OP, I thought they meant pedophiles. Especially because the first comment in the thread is "what the fuck".
I'm glad they meant drug addicted people.
I mean, I'm not glad that drug users are being treated like that, but I'm glad that the article isn't "The number one human rights challenge of today is pedophiles!"
Not that I want pedophiles to be tortured either but whatever you get my point
Major problems with easy solutions.
Legalize or decriminalize almost every drug, give proper drug rehabilitation that doesn't cost out the ass[and isn't some ridiculous, 'go to the dead sea' plan], and pardon drug crimes if they didn't have violent offenses on top of them.
Doesn't surprise me that the Irish newspaper mentioned in the article is the Irish Independent.
It's a pretty bad paper.
Oh it's just drug abusers v:v:v
it's those depending on drugs for people reading the excerpt and scratching their heads to figure out what said group was
[QUOTE=Sobotnik;43135958]For a moment I was guessing gypsies.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, I'm happy I can still stomp on them whenever I see them. I was worried for a second
Sure, drug prohibition and shaming of users is a problem, but there still needs to be a very clear distinction with birth-given problems (race, disability, gender, sexuality, etc.) and problems that are largely the result of the victim's actions.
Human slavery is still an enormous issue that completely overshadows the mistreatment of drug users, in my opinion.
[QUOTE=KillerJaguar;43136385]Drug users give birth shackled to a bed in the USA?
Because I've never heard that before.[/QUOTE]
Yes. Their are also tight regulations and restrictions that go about if your child is found to be dependent on a drug at birth. The hopital and local government can take your child away from you if they deem it "in the best interest" for the child given various circumstances. I.E. The baby is addicted to crack coccaine at birth and the mother is still actively using. You would be amazed at how many women ive heard about or heard stories from that have actually been using right at the moment of the childs birth.
Addicts and Alcoholics alike are given a black sheep label from most of society. It is a terrible shame that something that ultimately does stem down to a disease is treated as harshly as it is. Yes there ae worse things out there, but disgracing someone because they can not find the will and strength to put down the needle is ultimately the true testament of mankind's heart.
Most addicts and alcoholics go through their life in search for something they cant describe to you, a feeling, a purpose. They destroy their lives and the lives of others through their misery. More then youd be able to guess hate themselves the most for their actions and struggle to find a way to make it right, all they know is using though, all they know is oblivion.
From nurses, to train conductors, to lawyers, to teachers, to homeless men on the streets. This is something that no one hopes for and no one can see when they are in it.
Addicts and alcoholics need help, but only when they are ready for it. They often will hide and mask their issue because of the negative impacts it does bring, even after being sober for years declaring you were once an addict might immediately bring a stereotypical view of yourself to another within an instant.
My advice to anyone who thinks they have a problem or know someone who has a problem is to seek out help. From AA and NA groups, to In-Patient and Out-Patient care, the amount of ways that their are to help someone is constantly growing... but that view point people have about addicts and alcoholics may never change. That truly is sad. The amount of grit I've seen first hand in some people who are suffering is remarkable. They do want a better life, and they do want to right their wrongs, you just have to give them the chance, and hope they will make it through it.
Alright Im done ranting. Sorry for that. Just very attached to this subject.
Here in Portugal drugs are decriminalised, but you are immediately considered mentally unstable if you use drugs. I've been forced into a mental institution 3 times, sedated multiple times while I was in there and tied to a bed even though I didn't try to resist, and force fed several times while I was able to eat my food normally. You have no idea how much it hurts to be force fed through your nose.
I wasn't allowed contact with anyone and was kept in there until finally my family managed to get me out.
All this for some prescription drugs I wasn't supposed to have.
People think I'm a conspiracy nut when I tell them about the way they treat drug abusers here, they just can't believe it happens today.
[QUOTE=Snowmew;43136894]Sure, drug prohibition and shaming of users is a problem, but there still needs to be a very clear distinction with birth-given problems (race, disability, gender, sexuality, etc.) and problems that are largely the result of the victim's actions.
Human slavery is still an enormous issue that completely overshadows the mistreatment of drug users, in my opinion.[/QUOTE]
Drug prohibition is used to facilitate some of these though i.e. the disproportionate number of black people in prison for drug related crime compared to other races.
Some disabled people use drugs to help their condition or alleviate their pain better than those that are prescribed to them i.e. cannabis and M.S., cerebral palsy, epilepsy etc. and many more but end up getting in trouble for it when they're just trying to help themselves.
Drug prohibition is one of the closest things there is to "evil". It limits personal freedoms, grievously harms innocent people, gives society an easy scapegoat to blame its problems on, and is easily exploited by morally questionable figures in order to gain monetary or political favor. It's sickening that such a thing exists.
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