🧵 In November, @zoedodd.bsky.social and I prepared a rebuttal to a Globe Opinion piece calling for forced abstinence of people who use drugs. It conveniently omitted author Rob Tanguay's ownership of Newly Institute, which does psychedelic addiction treatment. 1/
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When we started scratching at the surface, we realize the Tanguay piece was just the tip of an ugly iceberg. 2/
Several pieces had been published around this time clamouring for forced abstinence, which has no evidence basis in addressing any problem other than human disappearance. 3/
@breachmedia.ca approached us around this time asking for an explainer ahead of AB's planned legislation.
We had the framing ready.
https://breachmedia.ca/media-politicians-rebranding-coercion-against-drug-users/
Forced abstinence is individually harmful, statistically deadly, and utterly ineffective.
Why would national opinion pages give it such a tailwind? 5/
We also can't know the extent of damage this has done to public discourse.
How many Globe & Post readers are now convinced that forced abstinence is the only way forward—in Tanguay's words, "better than doing nothing?" 6/
Many actions have been proposed from lower-barrier safe supply to accessible outpatient mental health and counselling supports. And HOUSING.
All of it is needed. Long-term medical incarceration is not. 7/