What does DTK need?

[danbrotherston]

Forced rehab should be a possibility, but I know that gets into a messy ethical situation. People on one hand will argue you can't stop people from doing drugs if they want, so we should just let them do it. But obviously we know having thousands of hardcore drug addicts living on the streets is bad for them AND the rest of us. So how do you deal with that, especially if rehab programs allow you to just tap out and hit the streets again? Very few successfully make it through and get clean. They try, but then they're back to nodding off in random public spaces soon after.

This crisis is costing thousands of lives, tens of millions of dollars, destroying families and friendships, endangers the general public, degrades our community and so much more. If someone refuses to improve, would it be so wrong to involuntarily commit them to a facility that can get them off drugs?

If the alternative to forced rehab is increasingly erratic behaviour until they do something criminal and are sentenced to prison, then it is absurd to oppose forced rehab. Either way, they’re getting locked up; better it be in a situation whose purpose is to help them free themselves from drugs, rather than to punish them (although I understand the word “penitentiary” goes back to an attempt to reform prisons to rehabilitate rather than just punish prisoners, so this isn’t a new debate).

That being said, I recognize that being forced into rehab isn’t the best, highest likelihood of success, way, and does raise ethical concerns that must be considered. But absolute opposition to forced rehab simply doesn’t make sense.

Is there a reason to physically confine some people because of mental problems? Yes.

But our history with that shows that it is not something to be taken lightly.

Let me ask you this, there are many many high functioning alcoholics, and high functioning more serious drug users as well. Their wealth usually allows them to maintain their habit without their life falling into disarray (at least, not right away). Now, many of these people routinely endanger others by driving while under the influence. Do you also support confining them?

I think that's an elucidating example, because the material difference between these groups is their wealth, not their impact on the actual (rather than perceived) safety of others.