Making drugs illegal simply perpetuates the spiral of shame, stigma and isolation that makes addiction so damaging, says Jan Gerber
I am the CEO and co-founder of a leading mental health and addiction clinic, and I am also a passionate advocate for worldwide drug decriminalisation. When I share my views with people, they almost always respond with the same question: how can someone who wants to help people recover from addiction also support providing easier access to drugs? Simply because ‘easy access to drugs’ results in less drug addiction. While it may sound counterintuitive, it is now clear that decriminalising drugs leads to a substantial drop in substance abuse and addiction rates. Countless studies have shown this. In my eyes, this is because, when coupled with harm reduction measures, drug legalisation combats the alienation and shame that come with addiction.
In so doing, those struggling with addiction at least retain their autonomy and self-respect. These qualities create a foundation of self-worth and capability, enabling more people to seek support and achieve recovery.
One argument against drug legalisation is that it would lead to higher rates of drug abuse among adolescents. However, numerous studies show that in countries where drugs are legalised — such as cannabis in the Netherlands and Canada, or Portugal, which has led the way — the opposite is true. One reason for this is that part of being a teenager is figuring out where the boundaries are, and breaking the law is often one way to do that. If a substance is illegal, kids can invest it with all sorts of meaning beyond the substance itself.
However, once legalised, that whole dynamic disappears. Sure, they might smoke a joint like they might have a drink, but it won’t be as exciting or as identity-defining as it would be if it were law-breaking forbidden fruit. Another argument against drug legalisation is that it would increase drug-related health problems, such as overdoses and mental health issues. However, as Portugal’s decriminalisation model has shown us, adequate infrastructure and support systems lead to a significant reduction in drug-related deaths, HIV infections, and health problems. We saw similar results in Switzerland when heroin-assisted treatment was legalised. Another argument made against decriminalisation is that it will lead to more crime. However, if legalisation does not lead to increased use, this argument falls flat.
No one chooses to become an addict
On the flip side, researchers have found that with legalisation comes regulation, education and access to information, all of which save lives, decrease addiction and increase social stability. As substances will be taxed, they will inevitably provide some economic benefits too. From my point of view — namely, how we can reduce our ever-skyrocketing rates of addiction — drug legalisation is a powerful measure insofar as it removes the shame, stigma, and isolation associated with substance abuse. For instance, it has long been known within the treatment industry that substance abuse dependencies have nothing to do with willpower or moral weakness. Instead, they are coping strategies employed by our subconscious minds to deal with traumas, mental health conditions, low self-esteem and the like. In other words, no one chooses to become an addict.
However, when we criminalise addiction, we inject this complex condition with morality and choice. In so doing, the individual’s identity starts to become moulded around signifiers like badness and weakness. As a result, the individual’s mental health plummets, and they often have to manage symptoms of anxiety, depression, and countless other issues, making them even more dependent on that addictive substance as a coping mechanism. It is this addictive spiral that leads to deaths of despair, homelessness and ever-worsening addiction rates. However, legalising drugs can completely defuse this cycle, as it frames addiction more as a mental and public health issue rather than a criminal one.
Additionally, when we are free to choose something, we become responsible for the consequences of our choice. However, criminalising drug use strips us of that autonomy. This paternalistic approach not only leads to feelings of helplessness and decreased self-worth, but it also further limits our sense of responsibility over our actions. Whatever one’s views on the 12-step programme, a popular structured process for recovery from addiction, its pillars are built on accepting that one has a problem, and taking responsibility for one’s actions. Legalising substance use will enable those struggling with addiction to do just that, as it puts the choice back in their hands and removes the fear of punishment from seeking help.
Finally, I ask the reader who is hesitant or even angry at the idea of legalising drugs: why does it bother you so much? I ask this not to provoke but as a genuine question. If countless studies show that legalisation will create less shame, addiction, and death, why is it something we are so reluctant to do? In my view, our refusal to grant those of us struggling with addiction the same respect we grant each other has far more to do with our own fear of ‘losing control’ than anything to do with the people who are struggling.
There is something undeniably terrifying about addiction, and we find comfort in othering and punishing addicts because it makes us feel like we are on the right side of the fence. But unfortunately, addiction does not discriminate. So, if it were you or one of your loved ones, would you want to end up alone, afraid, in the grip of an unnecessary mental health condition and stigmatised by the law? Of course not. It’s time that public debate on decriminalisation in the UK caught up with the reality.
Jan Gerber is CEO and founder of Paracelsus Recovery