Introduction
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that leads to severe addiction and harms individuals’ well-being. As the National Institute of Drug Abuse (2021) indicates, it is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. It is a very crucial problem for local communities because fentanyl is one of the most common drugs that leads to overdose deaths (National Institute of Drug Abuse, 2021). In addition, there is a decline in living conditions and deteriorating family relations. The local governments should not impose severe restrictions and arrange a “war on drugs” but increase awareness, support harm reduction strategies, and promote more access to treatment.
The Failure of Prohibitionist Drug Policies in the US
The reason why legislators and the government should be soft in their approach to reducing fentanyl drug abuse is that the US has a negative experience with the prohibitionist approach. President Richard Nixon was harsh in his measures to fight against drug abuse. His approach was not directed at helping addicted people but fighting against dealers and drug consumption. As a result, it did not lead to success but continued the vicious circle of drug consumption.
Harm Reduction Strategies as a Compassionate Alternative
Therefore, it seems that the solution for fentanyl drug abuse is related to reducing its harm. The common strategies include needle and syringe programs, HIV testing, safe injection facilities, opioid substitution treatment, and many other similar strategies (Kluczewska & Korneev, 2021). Such an approach will increase the population’s confidence that the government tries to help them but not prosecute them. It may lead to restoring family bonds and gradually returning to everyday life. Alternatively, more coercive strategies will lead to stigmatization and a further increase in homelessness and poverty.
Conclusion
To conclude, this essay tried to argue that fentanyl drug abuse should be addressed using the most modern strategies and approaches. Harm reduction has proven to be the international standard for solving the problem of drug addiction. This complex approach involves supportive public discussion of the problem and the government’s soft involvement. The reason is that harm reduction policing tries to provide full-fledged rehabilitation for addicted people.
References
Kluczewska, K., & Korneev, O. (2021). Policy translation in global health governance: Localising harm reduction in Tajikistan. Global Social Policy, 21(1), 75-95. Web.
National Institute of Drug Abuse. (2021). Fentanyl drug facts. Web.