Tuesday, September 25, 2012

American Bar Association: Health Law looks at drugs

The American Bar Association's 20-year old Standing Committee on Drug Abuse was merged into the Health Law Section in August after the Annual Meeting with the start of the association's new year.  Here is a very thoughtful column by the Section Immediate Past Chair, David H. Johnson of New Mexico, on the breadth of the issue from the perspective a lawyer not looking from the criminal justice/enforcement perspective.

Amidst its other work and continuing legal education (CLE) programs, the Standing Committee was a leading voice (adopting policy in 2004) decrying the terrible collateral consequences of drug convictions and the stigma for persons who once had a substance abuse problem.  And it organized three well-attended annual meeting programs on legal issues related to medical use of marijuana (including the Raich case -- before it went to the Supreme Court).

As a task force of the Health Law Section, this group can become a more important voice.

If you are a lawyer or law student reading this blog, join the ABA -- it is a welcoming, progressive and influential institution -- and join the Health Law Section and the Substance Abuse Task Force. Think about how your informed voice might further help develop wiser policies on substance use and misuse.

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1 comment:

Joshua Daly said...
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