It’s not always just about what is “allowed in US states” but making it easy for addicts who need a solution to be locally accessible vs just as easily going on the corner with $10 for another high. I was purposefully being colourful saying Suboxone was handed out like candy in Canada but it probably needs to be to compete with the wide availability of Fentanyl and other drugs.
I should also note that being in favour of harm reduction doesn’t mean tolerating Portland style appeasement of crime and public
…craziness. The baby is often thrown out with the bath water with this stuff and it doesn’t have to be that way. But that overreaction goes both ways in terms of dealing with the drug problem.
Yeah this a key point. Buprenorphine availability is very inconsistent in practice throughout the US. I'm not just talking about rural Kansas here either, it can be a struggle in every state and many major metro areas. Especially if you have all the associated problems one might expect (no car, no money for a copay, other health problems, etc).
Additionally, the actual treatment provided varies considerably between doctors. Do they give the patient enough to avoid severe withdrawal? Do they allow the patient to stay on buprenorphine long term if needed? How do they handle relapses? What sort of counseling or therapy do they provide (if any)? Do they take insurance?
Seriously. The world would not end if you could buy Vyvanse and Targiniq over the counter. Just let people have the safest version of these substances and move on. Most aren’t seeking help.
Why do they need to be on every block? If there's no "it's a crime" markup,
drugs are really cheap, and illegal supply chains can't really compete with Walgreens and CVS supply chains sending out semi-trucks full of product from distribution centers.
Don't just do one thing at once. Arrest and charge everyone related to drug trafficking at the same time as forcing every public user of hard drugs to report for testing when picking up their daily dose and enforce it with ankle bracelets.
Then because you're not just putting a bandaid on it you have the funds available to actually get people off the street (and not just into shitty drug hotels) which is one of the biggest obstacles to getting sober.
I should also note that being in favour of harm reduction doesn’t mean tolerating Portland style appeasement of crime and public …craziness. The baby is often thrown out with the bath water with this stuff and it doesn’t have to be that way. But that overreaction goes both ways in terms of dealing with the drug problem.