this is where I fundamentally differ w/most of society. it's not that "harm reduction" is "too radical," it's that the only meaningful harm reduction IS abstinence. if someone's looking at a substance which is deadly to use & getting deadlier & goes "I'm doing it anyway," I can't save that person. they have chosen death. I don't understand their choice, but if DEATH isn't a deterrent, they cannot be deterred. & if they're choosing death over sobriety, why would I want to make that choice safer?
drug overdose should be counted with suicides. because if you don't want to die, DON'T DO DRUGS. I feel like D.A.R.E. was pretty clear about this (and look, they weren't exaggerating after all, drugs WILL ruin your life and kill you)
Your frustration is heard loud and clear. But you are also demonstrating a lack of understanding about how addiction works. About how chemistry alters mental status. And about how the lack of legitimized medical care leads to unsupervised dangerous self-medication. Please dare to think in grey, in nuance, in spectrums of causes.
@Vanitas you can't get addicted if you don't start using in the first place. i refuse to believe that anyone picks up that first hit completely unaware of the extreme consequences.