Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang expressed his support for safe consumption sites for opioids in a recent interview with The Hill.
“I would not only decriminalize opiates for personal use, but I would also invest in safe consumption sites around the country,” said Yang.
Yang’s opinions stem from his belief that systemic drug use comes from a combination of unfortunate circumstances. To him, addiction doesn’t mean a lack of moral character.
“[To] individuals who are struggling with addiction … this is not a crime of personal character, this is a systemic problem, and if you’re using drugs and addicted, we should be referring you to counseling and treatment and not a prison cell,” he said.
Yang believes we should blame “capitalism run amok” for beginning the opioid crisis. He wants both pharmaceutical companies and the government to “come clean” because of their part in the epidemic.
Some have called Yang’s drug policy his most radical yet. But other presidential hopefuls like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren have called for similar plans.
Read more at The Fix.
Photo courtesy of the National Review.
