Barack Obama: 'drug addiction is a health problem, not a criminal problem'
Speaking at a drug abuse summit in Atlanta, the US president committed to tackling heroin and prescription opioid epidemic with prevention and treatment
The Guardian (UK)
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Barack Obama committed to take on America’s growing heroin and prescription opioid epidemic by devoting resources to prevention and treatment, rather than to the “war on drugs” policies of the last few decades. “For too long we’ve viewed drug addiction through the lens of criminal justice,” Obama said at a conference in Atlanta. “The most important thing to do is reduce demand. And the only way to do that is to provide treatment – to see it as a public health problem and not a criminal problem.” (See also: Obama calls for more funds, new attitude to fight opioid epidemic)
