Philadelphia, 2019.
Drug users and abusers, as a group of people, are among the most oppressed of our class. Because of this, we are in need of an organization or organizations that protect us and our human rights. We also need an organization that helps to combat the overdose epidemic, often caused by fatal opioids like carfentanil or ohmefentanyl. These organizations would include a drug users union and a U.S. off-shoot of the compassion club Drug Users Liberation Front.
What is a drug users union? It is an organization dedicated to harm reduction, the philosophy that says that we should take all opportunities and all steps to prevent the deaths or the harm caused by drugs to people. Harm reduction includes syringe exchange programs, safe consumption sites and even safe drug supply.
Safe drug supply is the distribution of drugs such as diacetylmorphine (heroin), crystal methamphetamine and cocaine by compassion clubs. All three drugs have been compromised with fentanyl analogues that can and do kill. The DULF in Vancouver, Canada, distributes these drugs to people in their community. Another organization, the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users is a 20-year-old drug users union that works alongside the DULF.
The compassion club model was used to distribute marijuana to patients who needed it and to distribute affordable medications for HIV/AIDS. This model was adapted and applied to the scourge of drug abuse. There is a strong need in the United States to form these organizations; our drug and overdose epidemics are not getting any better and indeed seem to be getting even worse. With COVID derailing everyday life, more people are turning to harder and harder drugs. In fact, drug overdoses spiked in the last year: 100,000 people have died since May 2020.
This cannot be allowed to continue.
Heroin prohibition is the leading cause of overdose deaths in the United States. Prohibition of drugs that are abused is the main cause of danger in these drugs. With a safe consumption site in place, users would be able to use drugs without the high risk of death. But drug prohibition causes other problems too. Here are some of the problems it causes:
In light of these dangers, we must support the creation of drug users unions and compassion clubs. Despite the risk of arrest, people should coalesce and organize these groups. It is so important to the proletariat.
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