Safe Consumption Sites and The War on Drugs: A Misguided Battle or Necessary Evil?
The War on Drugs, initiated in the United States and later adopted by countries like Canada, has been a costly and contentious endeavor. With billions of dollars spent, lives lost, and communities devastated, many are questioning the true efficacy and moral grounding of this war. The juxtaposition between the drug dealers’ methods during the crack epidemic and the modern approach of harm reduction strategies, such as safe consumption sites, raises significant questions about the rationale behind this prolonged conflict. During the crack epidemic of the 1980s and 1990s, drug dealers were portrayed as ruthless criminals, solely motivated by profit. However, a closer examination reveals a more complex dynamic. These dealers were indeed motivated by profit, but this motivation led to practices that, albeit unintentionally, mirrored modern harm reduction strategies. For instance, dealers had a vested interest in keeping their customers alive. Overdoses were bad for business—dead custo...