NCJ Number
123224
Journal
International Journal on Drug Policy Volume: 1 Issue: 5 Dated: (March/April 1990) Pages: 14-17
Date Published
1990
Length
4 pages
Annotation
To manipulate thinking about a politically useful enterprise, such as, the "War on Drugs," British and other Western politicians, along with their cohorts in the medical community, measure orthodoxy by a drug-related vocabulary ("drugspeak").
Abstract
Western politicians use the concept of the "War on Drugs" to convince citizens that their society, their children, and their families are under attack from evil drug lords. The politicians, of course, are prepared to prevent this evil from happening. These same politicians are careful to avoid any parallels between the drug threat and the threats of alcohol and tobacco. In Britain, for instance, there is a death from heroin approximately once a week, from alcohol once an hour, and from tobacco every 5 minutes. To preserve the concept that illegal drugs are a distinctive menace, "drugspeak" does not permit the use of the term illegal drug "use." The only acceptable terms are drug "abuse" or "misuse." In the medical community, the only acceptable terms in the treatment of a drug "abuser" are "drug-free" and "reduction" in drug use. Drug control should be transferred to suitable lay regulation, as are alcohol and tobacco. Doctors could continue to help the minority of users ready to give up drugs.