With Election Day only two weeks away, this important commentary in The Huffington Post's blog highlights the lack of attention to individuals suffering from drug addition and mental illness during the 2012 presidential election cycle. The author calls for more effective use of federal, state, and local funding to address the addiction and mental health treatment needs of our communities.
"Arresting and incarcerating drug users... without addressing their underlying issues costs... significantly more money than helping those individuals identify and overcome their problems through proper treatment."
"The war on drugs is over, and everybody lost."
"The war on drugs is over, and everybody lost."
By David Sack, M.D.
October 9, 2012
The hot-button topic in our current election cycle is the economy. Basically, finances seem to be the sole focus of nearly every campaign. And why not? With unemployment rates hovering in the 8 percent range, our nation's financial situation is a major issue. But almost as many Americans suffer from a serious mental illness as are unemployed, and there are many more people dealing with addiction than are unemployed. Even in an economy-driven election -- perhaps especially in an economy-driven election -- politicians should be paying attention to these facts. After all, whether it is a debilitating mental illness such as bipolar disorder or a mind-addling addiction to prescription medications, these issues cost our nation serious money. And the amount increases when the problems are left untreated or passed off to the criminal justice system.
The hot-button topic in our current election cycle is the economy. Basically, finances seem to be the sole focus of nearly every campaign. And why not? With unemployment rates hovering in the 8 percent range, our nation's financial situation is a major issue. But almost as many Americans suffer from a serious mental illness as are unemployed, and there are many more people dealing with addiction than are unemployed. Even in an economy-driven election -- perhaps especially in an economy-driven election -- politicians should be paying attention to these facts. After all, whether it is a debilitating mental illness such as bipolar disorder or a mind-addling addiction to prescription medications, these issues cost our nation serious money. And the amount increases when the problems are left untreated or passed off to the criminal justice system.
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