People Abuse on NZHerald Website. [LTE]

Letter to the Editor

Editorial Staff.

New Zealand Herald.

Dear Sirs/Madam's.

 

re: Abuse on NZHerald Website.

 

The description 'drug abuse' stories prominent on the NZHerald Website marginalises the very people such stories profess to protect. Labelling all 'use' as abuse is scientifically invalid and irrational. Drugs don't have problems, people do, and those who consume drugs, legal or otherwise, are not arbitrarily 'abusers'. 

Labelling is demeaning to those in recovery treatment, is contrary to best practice clinical care, and goes against the sentiment of NZ disability law.  Recent Mental Health television advertisements make this point clear.  Professor of Pharmacology/Toxicology Dr. Carlton Erickson [director of the Addiction Science Research and Education Center at the University of Texas]  alerts us to his concerns in his book, "The Science of Addiction: From Neurobiology to Treatment." describing substance abuse as "a weak, wimpy, confusing, inaccurate, and misleading term when applied to drug problems."

The NZHerald, when publishing drug related stories typically blindly accepting opinions of POLICE. POLITICIANS and other self appointed experts such as the unfortunately named METHCON  could do well to test themselves against Dr Erickson's "Exploding Drug Myths" page at the University of Texas site.

It is time within the ambit of drug policy to listen to the consumers, 'close the gaps' and adopt a rights based approach, this is the stuff of social capital.

Blair Anderson ‹(•¿•)›
50 Wainoni Road,
Christchurch.
ph (643) 389 4065 cell 027 265 7219