Proposed Legislature in the Philippines Highlights the Need for Rehabilitation, Not Incarceration, for Drug Users, Says Aid in Recovery
Stuart, FL (PRWEB) August 22, 2014 -- Aid in Recovery, a full service drug and alcohol treatment center, released a statement today regarding a recent bill introduced in the Philippines House of Representatives by Representative Samuel Pagdilao, a current legislator and retired police general. In House Bill 4451, Pagdilao seeks to provide treatment for drug related offenders, rather than imprisonment. Aid in Recovery points to this bill as an example of a forward-thinking solution for the drug addiction epidemic.
The bill, introduced this summer, would require that any person arrested for use of dangerous drugs, and who readily confesses to the use of these drugs, should be required to attend automatic rehabilitation of 6 months in an approved rehab center. According to the bill, the rehab center would be required to send monthly reports on the progress of the individual’s treatment, and the costs for the treatment would fall upon the individual in treatment. To prevent other criminals from taking advantage of this system, a Department of Health approved physician will examine the arrested person to verify that the person, indeed, suffers from drug addiction.
Pagdilao explained that there are two major philosophies on how to combat drug addiction: through incarceration or through rehabilitation.
Incarceration, says Pagdilao in the text of the bill, “has dominated the way our government handled drug addiction. However, it is clear that threats and sanctions do not effectively stop the problem against drugs. It does not cure the underlying cause of drug addiction.”
Aid in Recovery believes legislation like this is a good start to changing the way government addresses drug addiction. Rehabilitation should be readily available for those that have drug addiction problems; imprisonment is not a viable alternative, because it does not provide the framework for treatment that rehab centers do.
“Putting addicts in prison does not treat the reason for drug abuse,” said Dr. Michael Lukens, Psychologist at Aid in Recovery. “Rehabilitation is a better alternative, and governments that recognize this and pass legislation accordingly will better treat drug addiction as a whole. It speaks volumes that the man introducing this bill is a retired police officer.”
Aid in Recovery will continue to monitor this bill in the Philippines and look for similar legislation to treat the drug epidemic in the United States.
Aid in Recovery prides itself on keeping up with the latest news and trends in the field of substance abuse treatment and prevention. For more information on the services and treatments offered at Aid in Recovery, please visit http://findthebestrehab.com/.
About Us
Aid in Recovery is a premier drug and alcohol treatment center. Our approach is defined by recognizing each clients need for a personalized drug and alcohol treatment program. We aren't a hospital-like institution and there’s a good reason for that. We believe that treating each client as an individual is crucial to delivering the best possible patient care. At a busy clinic-like program, it simply isn't possible for a therapist to truly get to know each client and understand their specific needs. To best meet the needs of each patient we treat, we offer a diverse curriculum with a focus on both mind and body designed to meet the individual. We treat every patient as an individual and we work with one patient at a time and guide them to a new life in recovery. To learn more about the specifics of our program, please visit our program details page.
View our drug and alcohol treatment services or give us a call 1-855-223-6171.
Dr. Michael Lukens, Aid in Recovery, http://findthebestrehab.com/, +1 (772) 333-5041, [email protected]
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