Yes and the legislature would have one less argument to enact mass surveillance if there wasn’t this “convenient” drug problem in the US. And if we had a universal healthcare system then maybe this wouldn’t be as big of a problem and politicians wouldn’t be able to use it as an excuse. Of course this wouldn’t prevent them from using other nonsense like CP to do it (see : UK), although arguably that problem could also be reduced with healthcare.

These two issues are related in this case. What I’m basically saying is the government could attack the root causes of these problems but they won’t because mass surveillance benefits them in other ways such as monitoring dissidents and protecting the status quo.

Perhaps the phrasing suggests a dichotomy but it’s worthwhile to point out that this organization uses resources to attempt to increase their surveillance capabilities while ignoring strategies which might obviate their existence.

I assume that by "this organization", you are referring to the DEA.

The organization that's considering legislation is the U.S. Senate.

The DEA can lobby for funding and capabilities and whatever they want, and the HHS and FDA can lobby for funding and capabilities and whatever they want too.

Why would the DEA lobby for health care-based treatments? They're in law enforcement. Also... https://www.dea.gov/what-we-do/education-and-prevention

Speaking of health care, the DEA would not go away if illicit drug addiction were solved. They are the ones who license physicians to prescribe medication. So are y'all advocating for OTC-everything, and no controlled substances? Like, propofol for all? Chemotherapy at your corner drugstore? Complimentary COVID vaccine with your Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream?

> Speaking of health care, the DEA would not go away if illicit drug addiction were solved. They are the ones who license physicians to prescribe medication. So are y'all advocating for OTC-everything, and no controlled substances? Like, propofol for all? Chemotherapy at your corner drugstore? Complimentary COVID vaccine with your Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream?

No I’m advocating for fixing/reducing the drug problems in the US by enacting universal healthcare instead of giving another law enforcement agency unprecedented surveillance powers. I’m advocating for a solution that 32/33 developed countries have already adopted but the US hasn’t because it’s run by immensely corrupt conservative politicians that happily take bribes and give corporations what they want at the expense of regular people.