In a bid to address the city's drug crisis — and the crime and homelessness that come with it — San Francisco voters shifted right in Tuesday's primary, approving ballot measures that aim to boost enforcement powers.
Hopefully one day they seek treatment, and any system should make that option as open as possible at any point, because treatment can work if the person is truly committed to it. It almost never works when you coerce someone into it though, especially if whatever’s forcing you into it is as alienated from you as the city government. Maybe if the addict truly loved a person or group of people could an ultimatum like it’s me or the drugs work, and even that fails sometimes. But the city government, a government that you may blame for the shitty circumstances your in, telling you that is more likely to turn someone away in spite then awaken some actual desire in a person to seek sobriety.
So it sounds like that’s a yes then. Keep them on drugs and just hope. Hope that they change, all while their minds and bodies are actively being destroyed and whittled down by the drugs, and the Honduran gangs in SF gain money and power… This just doesn’t seem to be sustainable. There is a seemingly endless supply of people coming here from all over the country who are addicted to this stuff, and it really fees like it’s turning parts of the city into a zombie land. Many people in this city, especially those that live and work in these areas are just fed up. And the votes reflect that.
I’m not saying it sustainable or good, just that these propositions are short sighted and not the way to do it, and most addiction specialists would agree. Fixing this problem doesn’t require more law and order and discipline which we’ve been doing to no effect, but to solve the underlying socioeconomic issues causing addiction. No one is going to quit drugs if it’s the one thing making their life on the streets bearable. To get people to quit, or even not abuse drugs in the first place, they need a stable living situation, a purpose and a regular job and a support structure, these propositions provide none of that. Turning people away from the welfare programs that can provide these will only push them deeper into addiction.
Hopefully one day they seek treatment, and any system should make that option as open as possible at any point, because treatment can work if the person is truly committed to it. It almost never works when you coerce someone into it though, especially if whatever’s forcing you into it is as alienated from you as the city government. Maybe if the addict truly loved a person or group of people could an ultimatum like it’s me or the drugs work, and even that fails sometimes. But the city government, a government that you may blame for the shitty circumstances your in, telling you that is more likely to turn someone away in spite then awaken some actual desire in a person to seek sobriety.
So it sounds like that’s a yes then. Keep them on drugs and just hope. Hope that they change, all while their minds and bodies are actively being destroyed and whittled down by the drugs, and the Honduran gangs in SF gain money and power… This just doesn’t seem to be sustainable. There is a seemingly endless supply of people coming here from all over the country who are addicted to this stuff, and it really fees like it’s turning parts of the city into a zombie land. Many people in this city, especially those that live and work in these areas are just fed up. And the votes reflect that.
I’m not saying it sustainable or good, just that these propositions are short sighted and not the way to do it, and most addiction specialists would agree. Fixing this problem doesn’t require more law and order and discipline which we’ve been doing to no effect, but to solve the underlying socioeconomic issues causing addiction. No one is going to quit drugs if it’s the one thing making their life on the streets bearable. To get people to quit, or even not abuse drugs in the first place, they need a stable living situation, a purpose and a regular job and a support structure, these propositions provide none of that. Turning people away from the welfare programs that can provide these will only push them deeper into addiction.