Drug addicts: Do they need help or punishment?

[8Lexy]

Addiction is a brain disease. Repeatedly taking drugs or alcohol can cause your brain to change. Addiction is a progressive disease if not treated the addiction will just get worse. Causing them to be irritable, sudden weight loss, slurred speech, and small or enlarged pupils. People who are arrested for drug related crimes get at least 10 years of incarceration. They still have access to drugs in prison if they want them badly enough.  

 

I believe that addiction should be treated instead of punished. Nobody should have their parent, guardian, or child taken away because of a brain disorder. I know what some of you are going to say, “it was their choice”, “they made the choice to do it”. It’s not that simple drugs and alcohol are an addiction, it may start out with someone choosing to do them. Over time if they keep using them they can get addicted to it in less than a week. Once they decide that it's not good for them and need to stop they will try but it will not always work that way. 

 

What do you think should drug addicts be treated or punished?

 

If they should be treated, why?

 

If they should be punished, why?

https://www.pyramid-healthcare.com/addiction-treatment-or-punishment-which-works-best-long-term/ 

[7Grace]

I think drug addicts should be given help, but also be punished. Depending on what they do while they are on drugs. I don't think they should just be punished without people trying to help them, but if they keep going back to drugs after people already try to help them, they should be punished.

[5Henry]

I think that drug addicts should be treated instead of being punished becuase its better off trying to help somone stop drug addicts than not. I feel that it is important to try to help them stop then just not care and let the addiction get worser as time goes on. I think that saying it was their choice of doing it isn't that great of an option to not help.

[8tatum]

I think that drug addicts should get help because sometimes it's not their fault that they got hooked on drugs. They could be peer pressured or forced to do drugs or alcahol, yes it is still thier choice during peer pressure but still. I think they should be treated because it is just like any other illness because they can't control it. 

[8Kyrsten]

I think that when you send people to prison like you said they have access to them in prison so there is no point. It won't help. Get them the help they need and once they are sober maybe have like a fine or something becasue if they are around people who are still doing it maybe they will use again.

[5 8 konnor johnson]

I think addicts should have a second chance and when they are treated they should be sent to a rehab or a halfway/sober house to live for a little while until the rehab or where there at feels like it is a good time to leave and get people back on there feet.

[5Maria]

I agree that drug addicts should be treated and helped instead of punished. As you said addiction is a brain problem and there is many other brain broblems that are df treated and not punished so addiction shouldn't be punished either. The only thing I believe that should be punished is the selling of illegal substances and drugs.

[3Kai]

I think that addicts should be helped more than punished. Yes, they did the crime, but after a while it becomes an addiction and it is hard to come off of it. I think that most of the addicts just need someone to help them. I think that they should still be punished after though.

[3Jonathan]

I think that drug addicts should be helped as their first priority, and once they get their help and are capable of being functioning members of society then they should be punished as it's still technically a crime. Though helping them should be our number 1 priority when it comes to drug addicts.

[5Ben]

In my opinion, I believe that drug addicts should be treated and punished. Punishment is a big deterrent for people using drugs and taking away that punishment could actually increase the amount of drug addicts; however, I also feel that treatment is important. The treatment could change their lives, and if there is only punishment, they will likely just go back to drugs.

[6catherine]

I think drug addicts should for sure get help but also face punishments for their actions. They should get help so they can stop doing those drugs. They should also get punshied though, lots of them have probably done lots of illegal things, and we can't just forget about those things.