Through a Blue Lens is a 52 minute long documentary which portrays the day to day interactions between a group of officers from the Vancouver Police Department and various homeless and drug addicts in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. In this film, the police officers, known as The Odd Squad Productions Society, hope to educate society about the tragedy of those who suffer from the addiction to controlled substances and alcohol, and of the extreme circumstances these individuals find themselves in due to said addictions. Over the course of the film, the police officers develop great sympathy and concern toward the homeless and drug addicts they encounter during their patrolling of the city. As part of the exchanges between the cops and the
…show more content…
These activities or consumptions may be pleasurable, but the continuous use or action eventually interferes with the activities of daily living, and with the responsibilities of the individual, such as relationships, academic or professional life, or health. The individual who suffers from an addiction may not be aware of the compulsive and addictive behavior, and how it is causing problems to him and others. While the term addiction usually refers to physical addiction, that is, the biological state in which the body becomes accustomed to the presence of a substance, there are also addictions which can be psychological in nature. An individual is said to have developed tolerance to a substance in those cases of physical additions where the body adapts to the substance to a point it no longer has the same effect it originally had. Nonetheless, most of the time addictive behavior has no relation to a physical tolerance, but rather a psychological source. Whether there are physical addictions or not, many individuals will compulsively use drugs, shop, gamble, or engage in other dangerous activities as a response to stressors, and due to anxiety, stress, or low …show more content…
Nonetheless, in many countries, and more specifically, in the United States, substance addiction and abuse is seen as a public health problem and legal issue, and not as a disease. There is a great necessity for the government to have a better, more balanced approach toward this social problem. A change in the current policies and attitudes will help in the prevention and treatment of these types of mental disorders. Furthermore, by exploring alternative avenues toward the issue of substance abuse and addiction, the government will also assist addicts in their recovery process, and will search for reforms to the criminal justice system. By doing so, the vicious circle created by mental health, substance abuse, criminal behavior, jail, release, and recidivism, may be broken for once and for all. While most sectors of society will agree with the government and the judiciary that drug or controlled substance trafficking warrants a prison sentence, an immense majority of all drug related arrest in America relate to possession, not intention to sell. This means that drug users who usually haven’t broken other law are sent to jail or prison, rather than offered the opportunity to treat their disease with the appropriate medications and/or treatments. Many of the advocates for the rights of drug users and substance abuse addicts
These activities or consumptions may be pleasurable, but the continuous use or action eventually interferes with the activities of daily living, and with the responsibilities of the individual, such as relationships, academic or professional life, or health. The individual who suffers from an addiction may not be aware of the compulsive and addictive behavior, and how it is causing problems to him and others. While the term addiction usually refers to physical addiction, that is, the biological state in which the body becomes accustomed to the presence of a substance, there are also addictions which can be psychological in nature. An individual is said to have developed tolerance to a substance in those cases of physical additions where the body adapts to the substance to a point it no longer has the same effect it originally had. Nonetheless, most of the time addictive behavior has no relation to a physical tolerance, but rather a psychological source. Whether there are physical addictions or not, many individuals will compulsively use drugs, shop, gamble, or engage in other dangerous activities as a response to stressors, and due to anxiety, stress, or low …show more content…
Nonetheless, in many countries, and more specifically, in the United States, substance addiction and abuse is seen as a public health problem and legal issue, and not as a disease. There is a great necessity for the government to have a better, more balanced approach toward this social problem. A change in the current policies and attitudes will help in the prevention and treatment of these types of mental disorders. Furthermore, by exploring alternative avenues toward the issue of substance abuse and addiction, the government will also assist addicts in their recovery process, and will search for reforms to the criminal justice system. By doing so, the vicious circle created by mental health, substance abuse, criminal behavior, jail, release, and recidivism, may be broken for once and for all. While most sectors of society will agree with the government and the judiciary that drug or controlled substance trafficking warrants a prison sentence, an immense majority of all drug related arrest in America relate to possession, not intention to sell. This means that drug users who usually haven’t broken other law are sent to jail or prison, rather than offered the opportunity to treat their disease with the appropriate medications and/or treatments. Many of the advocates for the rights of drug users and substance abuse addicts