Some would argue that people who are addicted to drugs should go to jail because they have broken the law, while others say that they are sick and should be taken care of in hospitals. While sentencing them to a term in prison is the quick and easy solution, I believe that it is better to be compassionate and help them get better in hospitals.
On the one hand, custodial sentences provide a short term solution to the drugs problem. By locking up addicts the government can take them off the streets and they believe that this will stop them from using narcotics and also causing any harm to others. For example, in the United States someone caught with even a small amount of heroin is likely to be locked up for at least a year. However, I believe this does not solve the actual problem because drug addicts can gain access to drugs while in prison and will still be hooked upon release.
On the other hand, helping drug addicts kick their habits under medical supervision is thought to reduce the number of addicts in the long term. By treating addiction as a disease and the person with compassion, the root cause can be addressed and that person can eventually become free from drugs. For example, in Switzerland heroin addicts are given free heroin by doctors until they are ready to stop using the drug and this has resulted in drug related crime falling by 80 percent. I believe this method is preferable because drug addiction is a disease and it benefits both the individual and society as a whole.
In conclusion, although throwing addicts in jail might get them off the streets for a few years, it doesn’t treat the actual problem and that is why it is more important to help them get off drugs in a medical facility. It is recommended that governments follow this logic and bring in more forward thinking initiatives.