07-20-2016, 01:07 PM
Even more concerning to me than the ease with which the wrong people can get a hold of military grade guns and ammo in this country, is the insane volume of prescription drugs in the hands of so many millions of Americans.
To me, the fact that Americans consume 80% of the world's opiod prescriptions but account for less than 5% of the world's population is very telling. When it comes to hydrocodone, we consume 99% of the global supply. Seriously. Last year, drug overdoses exceeded drunk driving fatalities as the number one cause of accidental death in the U.S.
I agree completely with Johnson on this point:
"Legalizing recreational marijuana would lead to less substance abuse because people are going to find it as such a safer alternative than everything else that’s out there, starting with alcohol. Marijuana products on the medicinal side directly compete with legal prescription painkillers and antidepressants that statistically kill 100,000 people a year. Marijuana products — not one documented death.” Source: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016...-as-presi/
In my opinion, the U.S. doesn't lead the world in per-capita incarceration because we're more criminally-minded or more violent. We're in that spot because we have more guns available and more gun crime with long sentences, we have over aggressive for-profit policing and prison systems, and we've got an influential segment of the population which likes the idea of people who don't look or live like them being locked away for a long time for non-violent offenses.
Likewise, I don't for a minute believe that the U.S. leads the world in prescription drug use/abuse because we're much more prone to chronic pain. Rather, it's in large part due to the fact that doctors and politicians profit from the proliferation of big pharma prescription drugs and addiction (repeat customers).
Mass incarceration and prescription drug abuse (and heroin) are key issues for me. It's encouraging that there are politicians from all parties talking about the need for reform in these areas. From my perspective, the Democratic, Libertarian, and Green party platforms are more aggressive and solution-oriented in addressing the problems than are the Republicans. That matters a lot to this voter.
To me, the fact that Americans consume 80% of the world's opiod prescriptions but account for less than 5% of the world's population is very telling. When it comes to hydrocodone, we consume 99% of the global supply. Seriously. Last year, drug overdoses exceeded drunk driving fatalities as the number one cause of accidental death in the U.S.
I agree completely with Johnson on this point:
"Legalizing recreational marijuana would lead to less substance abuse because people are going to find it as such a safer alternative than everything else that’s out there, starting with alcohol. Marijuana products on the medicinal side directly compete with legal prescription painkillers and antidepressants that statistically kill 100,000 people a year. Marijuana products — not one documented death.” Source: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016...-as-presi/
In my opinion, the U.S. doesn't lead the world in per-capita incarceration because we're more criminally-minded or more violent. We're in that spot because we have more guns available and more gun crime with long sentences, we have over aggressive for-profit policing and prison systems, and we've got an influential segment of the population which likes the idea of people who don't look or live like them being locked away for a long time for non-violent offenses.
Likewise, I don't for a minute believe that the U.S. leads the world in prescription drug use/abuse because we're much more prone to chronic pain. Rather, it's in large part due to the fact that doctors and politicians profit from the proliferation of big pharma prescription drugs and addiction (repeat customers).
Mass incarceration and prescription drug abuse (and heroin) are key issues for me. It's encouraging that there are politicians from all parties talking about the need for reform in these areas. From my perspective, the Democratic, Libertarian, and Green party platforms are more aggressive and solution-oriented in addressing the problems than are the Republicans. That matters a lot to this voter.