“Decriminalization” is Misconceived: Towards Improved Drug Policy

• By: Michael B. Friedman, LMSW Public Policy Analyst and Mental Health Advocate
• October 23rd, 2023
• addiction, alcohol, criminalization, decriminalization, drug control, drug policy reform, drug-related violence, Fall 2023 Issue, illicit drug use, medications, overdose deaths, regulation, substance misuse, tobacco
• 110    0

Recent reports about the problems that have emerged with Oregon’s experiment in the decriminalization of drugs have rekindled debate about this approach to reducing the damage that results from the current policy of criminalizing illegal substances. I tilt against decriminalization as currently...

Older Adults and Substance Misuse: Hiding in Plain Sight

• By: Nancy Harvey, LMSW Service Program for Older People (SPOP)
• October 23rd, 2023
• addiction treatment, alcohol use, complicated grief, emotional trauma, Fall 2023 Issue, holistic approach, mental healthcare, older adults, pandemic, psychotherapy, social determinants of health, social isolation, substance misuse
• 151    0

Last winter “Lucy,” an 87-year-old woman, was referred to Service Program for Older People (SPOP) by her primary care doctor. Lucy’s husband had died during the COVID-19 pandemic, and she was struggling with unresolved grief, depression, and panic attacks. A retired teacher, she had enjoyed a...