Well, I hate to be this person to burst that bubble but that is not something that is realistic. Criminal reform? Sure, I am for this BUT at the same time, it needs to go both ways. There are people who need to be in jail that are let out and those who don't deserve the punishment that are kept in.

That is one angle of what you are referring to. Now, as far as the addiction aspect of it. Yes people should be able to get help to kick the stuff if they get addicted to it. I support this 100%. Problem is, that is MORE tax dollars spent on those who CHOOSE to do these substances. I am all for helping people, no doubt. But to mandate I pay MORE money for others bad decisions is not something I agree with. There are plenty of people I know who have bounced back and went on to live wonderful lives. There are also those (including my own family) who did not bounce back and OD'd and died. Now, in the area where I work doing the profession I do, I see this DAILY. Rehab clinics just suck up tax dollars to push government funded opioids aka methadone. Thousands of people every day go to these clinics. Vast majority in the area I frequent have been on it for many years and continue to use the "real stuff" on top of it. Guess where most of them are found? Dead. Daily, people die from over dosing. And this is with the local government handing out "narcan" like candy for free (More Tax Dollars).

This is not even touching the actual violent criminal acts that are attached to the distribution of these substances. There is no half legal, half illegal with these substances. Either open the floodgates and there will be an even greater generational epidemic with opioids than there already is or keep it illegal. That being said, I lean towards the latter. BUT, extreme punishments for "dealers" and very minor if any at all for the "user". That is the system I think would destroy the generational addictions to these substances because there wont be anywhere near as many people who dare sell the stuff. So after a generation or two you would see addiction and OD numbers drop. Just my 2 cents on it tho. And just real quick before people quote distribution jail sentences, if you think those are actually enforced the way the law is written, I have several bridges to sell you. Inner city court systems are a joke and that is why the violence / addiction is perpetuated. And to reiterate after that, dealing gets big punishment, using doesn't in the world I described.

But thank you for replying, I was just curious why you didn't agree with the previous statement. My understanding of what you said leans more on criminal justice reform which I do agree needs some work. At the end of the day, the more hand holding the government does, the more money that is taken from people.

2nd reply, forgot to add this part.

There are TONS of programs and centers that help people discreetly. I work with several people who have had to go to AA or other forms of rehab and kept their jobs. The job even still paid them as long as it was completed properly. These things exist. Sad part is, many CHOOSE not to get the help. If that is them or the addiction making the decision, I don't know. But I do know that there has never been more help than there is now for opioids. The supply to the next generation is what needs cut and we can triage our way through those addicted now and help them stand again. But until the supply is fixed, you are effetely putting a never ending costing band aid on a gun shot wound. This is the side of the coin people don't want to talk about. If the next generation is less addicts then costs go down, (nurses, doctors, police, corrections, attorneys, judges, medical costs, etc.) Then that is less taxes needed or more improvements that can be made for all Americans. Then continue the cycle and it gets better and better. But none of that can happen until the addictions go down instead of sky rocketing like they are today.