It’s been widely reported that the incredibly talented photographer, Annie Leibovitz has had monumental financial problems despite her ability to generate wealth. Leibovitz defaulted on a $24 million loan that’s been collateralized by her famous photographs. She’s about to lose everything.
The problem here is simple drug addiction. In the 1980’s the late reporter Tom Fitzpatrick wrote about her selling her own prized cameras and lenses so she could obtain cocaine.
I don’t wish more hardship on Leibovitz even if it’s self-imposed. She is just a microcosm of the bigger problem in our country that has not nor will ever be solved by the Drug War.
Legalization of all drugs and free treatment is needed for those who have found a window to free themselves of that dreaded disease.
Comments
Therefore I believe that if their all legalized, well just have much more drug users, addicts and health costs due to their consumption.
I am thou all for shutting down police agencies that are not needed, ie the DEA and the CHP.
That will help our deficit.
"Free healthcare for addicts? No way! It's not my problem."
August 24, 2009 8:43 AM
While I don't care to pay for this myself, I think it would be cheaper in the long run for taxpayers to pay for this rather than the much more expensive costs for law enforcement and subsequent incarceration of drug offenders. Not all drug users are destitute. Make the majority pay for their own treatment.
I saw a credible report last year where they took the amounts spent on the war on drugs, and then divided it by the estimated number of addicts, it came out to around $400,000 per addict. I wish I could remember where the report was.
Anyway, it is obvious that this money could be better spent in ways that would take the profit opportunities away from drug dealers, thereby making the streets (and law enforcement) much safer in the long run.