Opinion | Will Rahul Gupta, Biden’s drug czar nominee, be a champion for needle exchanges?

It is important to note that these policies were in effect even as the addiction crisis raged – and still. Worse still, they are motivated not by science but by misconceptions about addiction and – yes – contempt for people who use drugs. The lazy formula assumes that “some say” needle exchange allows drug use. This is often followed by claims that such programs attract criminals (incorrect) or pose a moral hazard to the community. In fact, harder drug use does not make the addiction go away. That just makes it more dangerous. The challenge is to balance drug enforcement policies with strategies to keep people with substance use disorders safe while, if possible, directing them towards treatment.