the fact that AA/NA, an abstinence-only, deeply religious, non evidence supported model based off writings from the 1930s, is seen as the first, only, and mandatory form of treatment for problematic/dangerous drug use is insane and ridiculous and i hate it and i hate how normalized and institutionalized AA is. people have to choose between AA or jail, AA or not having custody of their kids, AA or not getting welfare it's embarassing that the war on drugs and drug use has gone on this long with so much evidence against it
AA was the first organized attempt to actually treat addiction. It works for a small percentage of people.
However, it's almost 100 years old, and there are other treatments out there that work better. We aren't using 100 year old medicines for cancer, or pneumonia, or even arthritis, so why is the court MANDATING 100 year old treatments for addiction? (Why aren't there enough spaces in modern treatment facilities also?)
In addition, the abstinence model is very dangerous for opioid addiction, since users of drugs such as heroin are very likely to suffer a potentially fatal overdose when they relapse after detox, as most do.
