I was invited because I worked on the decrim campaign and volunteer at a syringe program. But I was open that I'm a person who uses/has used drugs. My crimes:
1. Correcting a cop who said you mentioned dying from touching fentanyl. This myth has led to people being afraid to touch or help someone who has overdosed. It was popularized a while ago by a cop who had an anxiety attack after handling things at a crime scene. There was no evidence that this person experienced, or could have experienced, an opioid overdose.
2. Correcting someone from NA who stated that naloxone encourages people intentionally taking an overdose and then reversing it. Overdoses are terrifying, especially if you are dependent and therefore wake up in precipitated withdrawals. People who use drugs are already collectively traumatized by our supply being poisoned, and public health officials putting up further barriers to safe supply. No one is having Narcan parties ffs.
3. Stating that drug use has been a part of human behavior since the beginning of humans, and drug users deserve autonomy.
4. Stating that there is more than one way to recover, heal, or make positive changes to one's relationship with drugs.
I spoke less times than others in the call. The moderator ignored my answers after calling on me, then fawned over literally anyone else speaking from a more prohibitionist perspective.
A couple social workers said privately that my points were accurate, but didn't stand up for me publicly.
gracieabrams
dailybridgerton
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