President Talks About Drug Strategy, the Top Question Topic on YouTube Session
Not surprisingly, hundreds of thousands of people who use YouTube want to talk with President Obama about his plans for winning the War on Drugs in the U.S. A recent YouTube-based question/answer opportunity allowed viewers to select their favorite questions for the president, with over a million votes received. Out of all the questions posed, 99 percent of those that got the top responses were in connection to his plans for curbing illegal drug use.
During the session, the President discussed his administration’s plans for helping curb illegal drug use in the U.S., plans that include spending more on preventative measures and expanding treatment opportunities as part of a strategy for the War on Drugs that combines many elements.
A former deputy sheriff, MacKenzie Allen, has been quoted in articles for his YouTube questions regarding the four-decades long battle on drugs, which carries an enormous price tag and what some call ineffective results in terms of lessening violence. President Obama said illegal drug abuse in the U.S. is certainly a strong subject for discussion and debates, and that he considers it alongside public-based health concerns.
In response, President Obama said foreign-based drug organizations, especially along the nation’s borders, should be a target of anti-drug efforts. He also said that a renewed emphasis on arresting offenders and giving jail time isn’t the answer either. Exposing drugs for their health risks, similar to anti-smoking campaigns and campaigns against driving under the influence of alcohol, may be part of the strategy because they can curb demand for illegal substances. Attitude shifts, says President Obama, could also be a piece of new anti-drug efforts.
Additional efforts, said President Obama, could be targeted toward boosting availability of treatment centers and rehabilitation opportunities in order to cut down on long delays experienced by people seeking help. Similarly, people who are going through a first offense for drugs could have more chances for turning in a new direction.
Further questions on the YouTube session directed toward the legalization of some illegal drugs – especially marijuana – are not a new subject for Obama’s administration. In 2010, Gil Kerlikowske, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, said that making marijuana legal would not have the desired effect of reducing cartel violence.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, during 2008, about 8 percent of people in the U.S. who were older than 12 years used illegal drugs in the past 30 days. Marijuana remains the leader of illegal drugs used in the U.S., with more than 25 million people older than 12 years old reported to have used it during the past year, according to information from the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
