| An ambitious law set forth a more humane way to address addiction. Then came the backlash.  Photograph by Rian Dundon for The New Yorker In November of 2020, voters in Oregon approved the Drug Decriminalization and Addiction Treatment Initiative, known as Measure 110, making the state the first in the country to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of previously illegal drugs. In place of criminal enforcement, the initiative would dedicate financial resources to treatment, housing, and harm reduction. Some of that money went to a small nonprofit called the Stabbin Wagon, in the city of Medford, Oregon, which distributes safe supplies for drug users. In a fascinating new report from Medford in this week’s issue, E. Tammy Kim examines the benefits and costs of the emerging harm-reduction model to fight addiction, and the conflicts that have emerged among community members, activists, more conventional health agencies, and members of law enforcement as the fentanyl epidemic continues to rage. Amid heated rhetoric, is there room for experimental and traditional treatment methods to coexist? Support The New Yorker’s award-winning journalism. Subscribe today » | 
.jpg)
No comments:
Post a Comment