- I’ ve just finished reading Caroline Chatwins’ article: Drug Policy Developments within the European Union. 200 43 , 567 –582 British Journal of Criminology.
http://bjc.oupjournals.org/cgi/reprint/43/3/567
- The article is interesting and fantastic; as per my previous rambling and convictions that some fields in social sciences (in general) is increasingly failing and becoming obsolete.
- But pose a question, why do people prefer drugs to sports, arts, work, a soda or simply put why do people become addicted to drugs at all?
- In view of particular fields; there are visible failures, of [traditional] economic policy (Caroline Chatwin pg. 574); political science and flimsy ideological beliefs, psychology, nature of human beings; Natural kinds (Brian Ellis 2000, Scientific Essentialism); European urban planning as an incomplete science, social medicine/medicine and its mystics, vulgar science etceteras, vis � vis new findings in evolutionary biology re-human needs, wants and habitats.
- There is need for a real science; Critical Sociology, a Critical Realist Science.
- Back to the drug policy; is the sacrilege of drug misuse or abuse; a fashion, of therapitcal value and why; of embedded psychology import, a life style, external imposition as social construction failure, or genetic /evolutional matrix?
- These question are no where to found in drug addicts studies but critically important to tracking recent social development circa 1970 to date.
- Why is drug abuse rampant in affluent societies? An important question grounding the nature of drug abuse and it covert essences that drug misuses / abuse are manifested it.
- Caroline Chatwin uses the term; HARM REDUCTION in her reading of the liberal policies or what is referred to as “initiative” to lower drug abuse! E.g. needle exchange and other harm reduction initiatives ( pg. 569)
- Likewise the Swedish’s restrictive drug policy is symmetrical based on data reflecting “ harm reduction” if drug persons and societal consequence in society can be termed as such.
- An interesting mixture of words to say the least. Caroline Chatwin observes, “a fairly high proportion of prison population in every country are drug users, even though they are not necessary imprisoned for drug offences.” (pg.575)
- The polemics, (not that i’m interested in logic) as per effects causative to dependence on drug misuse/addiction; Traffic accidents (not alcohol related); work place accidents; aggravated and unprovoked criminality even in schools; suicide; robbery and stealing to finance the habit; family breakdown; deaths from overdose; sky rocketing health and rehabilitation costs; child abandonment; prostitution among women etc,.
- One might be compelled to assume the above are not “ harm “ to the self and the large society.
- There is also IDEOLOGICAL SUPERSTITION that the problem solves itself i.e. when it infinitely becomes entrenched in society and agents action.
- A fallacy embedded in interpretation, or keeping on a safer side of the heart of matter e.g. Africa is not infested with drug addicts and therefore a drug free society is not a realistic outcome.( see Caroline Chatwin, pg 569)
- The cultural imperative vis ‘a vis drug culture is an interesting one, Sweden vs Netherlands such that as Caroline Chatwin writes, “ Sweden has always been a country with a strong temperance culture”. (pg. 571)
- Rather than the realities and as science informs us about the debacle inflicts on society so that for the Swede “conformity is important and liberalism is viewed every negatively o cp. Daun 1989” (pg. 571).
- Somewhere else I’ve written and launched a scathing attack on hermeneutics and its twin brother ethnomethodology as misconstruing of science.
- Above I wrote, particular fields of social sciences shows visible failures. For instance as Caroline Chatwin quotes Gould’s (1994) debate in Scandinavian Journal of Social Welfare whereby he Gould, condemns and denounces the Swedes for placing a higher emphasis on a drug free environment than the RIGHTS OF INDIVIDUAL INTEGRITY.
- As a local and senior committee member of FMN I will assume that parents as well as drug addicts (rehabilitated) have some “rights of individual integrity” to oppose what they see as a cancerous behaviour eating up society. A democracy.
- There is another concept here used by Caroline Chatwin, (pg.576) decriminalising – some behaviour linked to consuming and possession of drugs.
- Drug effects are not criminal when meted on innocent citizens- hence decriminalising such behaviours.
- Let me turn to sociology for clarity – culture (all) have prohibitive means to instil order in society, by making a habit criminal or by suctions in order to stop it– this has been known as a science from Durkhiem Emil times in Western European Academics institutions of social sciences.
- On modernisation of society – shooting galleries are now present for any one to eject a small dose if he or she wants, i.e. liberalism drug at a low cost in the dark shadows a far high order enforcing cost – civil policing and health care.
- Caroline Chatwin writes, cases of AIDS are levelling out, but hepatitis case are rising (pg.575)
- Caroline Chatwin, I also heard more drug addicts because of their stochastic behaviours are many tend to live abnormal lifestyle i.e. they homeless themselves hence high level of antibiotic resistance tuberculosis and other such affections plus STD among them too.
- Sweden tends to have good data these so the action vis � vis drug might be well informed.
- There is also another angle re: human superiority to other animals that human beings – the homosapiens have full control over the environment – if not full uncontrolled environment.
- Albrecth and van Kalmthout (1989) as quoted by Caroline Chatwin, (pg.579) have various models re drug – control problem namely; 1. full legalisation (decriminalisation)- of all drugs , 2 & 3. Partial decriminalisation based on i.e. intoxication risk based on low and high value. (biometrics)
- The recent topology in the tobacco industry legal processes will be a child game re: drug effect in the next coming – who are the culprits in drug trade – the parliament and the fate of the Swedish conformity.
- Flourish science - End of story.
__________
bwanika
url: www.idr.co.ug
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