Viewpoint: More punishment won’t solve a public health crisis – South Bend Tribune

Don Hossler| South Bend Tribune

Imagine an Indiana where all of us have what we need to overcome our challenges, where we can get and stay well. The truth is that life is hard, and the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic has only made it harder for many of us. We all struggle with something, and for many Hoosier families this includes addiction. Prior to the pandemic, an Indiana University study found that 63% of Hoosiers know someone struggling with substance use, and that number has likely only increased.

I am one of those Hoosiers: Six years ago I lost my brother to substance use disorder. He was never arrested as a result of his addiction, but he suffered for it. He was a machinist who got fired for reporting to the Air Force that his company was producing faulty parts that could result in a crash. He knew he might get fired, but did the right thing anyway. He worked hard and supported his family. But his body shut down from a lifetime of addiction.

During the pandemic, annual drug overdose deaths in Indiana have increased by 35%. Urgent action, grounded in evidence-based solutions, is necessary to save lives and reverse the course of the overdose crisis in Indiana. Medical doctors and other experts overwhelmingly agree that we must see drug use for what it is: a health issue that should focus on treatment and recovery. We must follow the evidence and implement solutions that reduce lethal harms.

But instead of taking a proven public health approach to save lives, the Indiana General Assembly doubled-down on the same failed, punitive policies which have fueled the overdose crisis, dangerously overcrowded our jails, and devastated Hoosier families. In 2019, sevenof the 10 most frequently filed felonies in Indiana were charges related to poverty and substance use. Poverty and addiction are not problems which can be solved with more incarceration. When Hoosier families are thrown into crisis the likelihood of substance use increases.

Indiana spends over a billion dollars per year incarcerating citizens, one price we pay for our failed war on drugs. Indiana law criminalizes possession of a syringe to a felony, and individuals who are seeking medical treatment for an overdose may be prosecuted. The evidence is clear and compelling: We cannot simultaneously treat drug addiction as a disease and a crime, and yet we keep doubling down on failed and expensive policies.

In 2022, not one substantial piece of legislation was passed to constructively address our opioid crisis. Instead, several pieces of so-called tough on crime legislation were passed (House Bill 1300, Senate Bill 7 and 9). These bills will not make Hoosiers safer, they will just result in more of us being locked up just for being poor or struggling with addiction. Instead of moving our money to fund programs which work like mental health and addiction crisis centers, syringe services programs, opioid poisoning antidotes like Naloxone, and medical treatments for addiction, these bills will lavish money on the predatory bail bond industry, for profit prisons, and other businesses that make money on incarcerated people.

Imagine an Indiana where we treat each other with care. An Indiana where people arent locked away for our mistakes but offered a way to heal. Where rehab and treatment are widely available, helping people like my brother overcome these challenges, rather than succumb to them or end up in jail. We deserve an Indiana where no one dies a preventable death, including overdose.

We cannot afford to wait to address the overdose crisis. I know firsthand the pain of seeing a loved one struggle with addiction, and odds are so have you. Start by calling your state representative and state senator today, and hold them accountable for the decisions they made this session. When we join together, we can make our state a place where we all have the support we need to recover from addiction and shape our lives into what we imagine they can be.

Don Hossler is a member of Hoosier Action,an independent community organization based in rural and small-town southern Indiana and led by members across the state.

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Viewpoint: More punishment won't solve a public health crisis - South Bend Tribune