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Thank you so much for posting this. I think that "Think Out Loud" ought to do a show on this national tragedy. Stanton Peele wrote an excellent book, "The Diseasing of America," which describes the phenomenon of learned helplessness. Treatment centers (most modeled off of 12 step programs) teach people that they are "powerless," "addicts for life," and "in need of a Higher Power to save them." Several State Supreme courts have ruled forced participation in AA programs unconstitutional due to their religious nature. If addiction is a medical disease, why is the cure a "spiritual awakening?" And why aren't people discussing this openly on shows such as this?!!!

"Treatment works," is an outright lie. The truth is ugly, but if Oregon Public Broadcasting won't offer an unbiased approach, who will? The problem seems to be that mentioning the failure rate and attributing it to 12 step programs seems un-PC. But if people looked just under the surface of 12 step programs, they will discover that AA/NA/CA, etc., are all nothing more than a set of psuedo-religious ideas proposed by a man in the thirties who was himself, high on belladonna. He stole the ideas from a long-defunct cult called the Oxford Group. And the truth is that these programs just don't work. They are also behind the fact that so many people are out of control. These ideas have infiltrated our society, and we have become a nation of helpless addicts. I wil not vote for any measure that does not show true science combined with longitudinal studies on the efficacy of the "treatment" programs chosen.

posted 4 years, 7 months ago
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It is a myth that most drug/alcohol treatment works. This is a multi-billion dollar industry with a very high failure rate. 12 step programs, in particular have an extremely high failure rate and sadly, the majority of treatment centers follow this model. Treatment centers are mostly privately owned and operated and stand to make millions in profits should this measure pass. If one looks to current research, the most promising outcomes are found in behavior modification and harm-reduction programs. I am interested in knowing the methodology going in to selecting the programs that will be state funded. Let's follow the money here.

posted 4 years, 7 months ago
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