I'm a Drug Advocate, But That Probably Doesn't Mean What You Think / A.J. Hendry

The cannabis referendum may be over (for now), but the debate around drug reform continues.

This week a group that sits strongly on the prohibition and abstinence side of the debate released a video in response to the pill testing legislation that was just recently passed ahead of the summer season we're about to head into.

I don't want to name the group specifically, because I don't want to encourage this us vs themness that happens, nor am I interested in lobbing stones across the social media sphere. The group have been staunce proponents of abstinence based approaches to alcohol and drugs, and prohibition. If you know them you'll know them, if you dont, it probably doesn't matter.

The video highlighted for me a couple of concerns that I have regarding how this debate is going. This is an important korero for our communities to have, one of the positives that came out of the cannabis referendum was an acknowledgment from both sides that something in how we treat, think, and deal with addiction, has to change.

That was good, if we can agree on that, we can start a conversation.

But, before we move forward I want to just acknowledge a couple  of things. First, I obviously have a different perspective, not everyone will believe my approach is the right one, and that is ok. The other acknowledgement is that no one actually wants people to be harmed as a result of drug policy. The people that run this group and I, we share a similar goal. We both want to reduce drug harm, we both want our communities to be safer, we both care about people who are affected by the harms associated with addiction, and we both want to find ways to prevent these harms. This group is sincere, they care, and they are doing what they believe is right.

In saying that, I am concerned by the way the debate around drug reform is being framed. Terms like "drug advocates" and the "drug lobby" are used to describe people like me, and actually many of my colleagues.

If you know me you know that I spend a lot of my time, dealing daily with and supporting people through the harm that comes with addiction. I hate seeing our whanau suffer, and I, alongside many of my colleagues in the sector, are doing what we can to alleviate that suffering, and in the long run, to prevent it.

I came from a prohibitionist and abstinence perspective, my experience supporting vulnerable whanau has shown me its limitations. I accept that not every one agrees with me, but I think that when we have this conversation, we need to do so by acknowledging where each of us are coming from.

When people talk about "drug advocates" or the "drug lobby" they are trying to paint a picture of a group of people that want to see harmful substances free, legal, and "normalized". Who want to deny the harmful affects of harmful drugs, and for some reason have a global agenda to make harmful substances easily accessible to young and vulnerable people.

But, this just isn't this case.

What has began to be called "normalization of all drugs", is really a commitment to decriminalization, harm reduction, and where necessary to prevent harm, regulation.

You can disagree with that approach, but naming professionals who daily serve those who suffer from addiction drug advocates, and accusing them of wanting to see your kids suffer, is unhelpful at best, and at worst, maybe a bit perverse.

Because that is what is happening. The people I know that have been given this label are people who are serving our community on the front line, people that care passionately for our people, and who work tirelessly to address and end the drug related harms that we see in our community.

These are not some evil, shadowy, globalist, liberals who are trying to steal your values, and drug your kids.

Its people like me. And you may disagree with me, and that is cool, it is what it is. We come from different walks of life, different experiences, different worldviews even, so we will disagree, we'll dialogue, and maybe  we'll both grow. But, only if you see me. Only if you're willing to hear where I'm coming from, and respond to that, rather than responding to the boogeyman that has been created.

And you know what, we need to do this for each other. I'll acknowledge how hard it is to listen, and to Love, especially people we may totally disagree with, about issues and perspectives we sincerely believe have harmful consequences. Sometimes it's hard not to dehumanize others, to make them into a monster, maybe that's easier than Loving each other, with all the mess and complexity that entails.

As I watched this video I struggled not to do it myself, to get fed up, to reduce the individuals in it to simple caricature's of themselves.

But, Love is the Way, and if we are going to grow through these conversations, and not be destroyed by them, we must hold to it.

Next time you hear these terms used, I want to encourage you to stop for a moment and think of me. Put me in that category, you don't need to agree, or change your perspective, but perhaps you will be able to engage in the korero in a more productive way, seeing a person, rather than the scary straw man that has been projected onto your subconscious.

Anyway, that's me, forgive the rant. Piece and love whanau.

A.J. Hendry