Thursday, May 11, 2023

Re-Purposing Compassion

An addict collects her drug kit at a safe-injection center. (LAURENT VU THE/AFP/GETTY IMAGES)

The question must be asked of earnest altruists 

determined to stop those equally determined to 

remove themselves from the global gene pool: 

Why intervene? Need may be the mother of 

invention and thrift the gift that keeps giving 

but if in the process the issue at hand goes into 

reversal what is gained? Take the oft-quoted remedy

for disposal of an unwanted gift; re-wrap and gift 

elsewhere. Take safe injection sites where dedicated 

health workers dispense needles and narcotics 

meant to diminish the impact reliance of addicts

on more dangerous recreation drugs in a remedial

government-supported effort to save lives. Not to 

purpose weaning away from drugs but to ensure 

safe injection and less transmission of pathogens 

between addicts. Who might have foreseen that 

the supplied 'safe' and less powerful drugs would

find their way on the street for resale, in turn

funding the acquisition of morbidly harder drugs

with the earned reputation of a mounting death toll?

 


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