All people struggling with addiction should get the same opportunities as Hunter Biden | GUEST COMMENTARY

Hunter Biden receives the public’s praise for his recovery from hard drugs, while over 40,000 Americans rot in a cell over marijuana charges. It is no question that Mr. Biden struggles with drug addiction. He has very publicly tried and failed to get and stay clean. It does not matter how often Hunter films himself smoking crack while attending a high-end detox program paid for by his father, the public will accept his apologies with open arms, because he is sick. Addiction is a disease that deserves to be treated like any other medical issue — with the proper treatment and understanding. It is just too bad that this often only applies to the 1%.

There are two types of people with substance use disorder in the world: ones who are patients and ones who are criminals. It is easy to spot the difference between these two groups because they are classified by three factors: social class, skin color and drug of choice. Patients are upper-class, white people with a habit more palatable to the public, such as crack cocaine. Criminals are lower-class people of color with a more unsavory preference, i.e., heroin. These descriptions do not always match up perfectly, but if you have at least two complementing qualities, you can generally determine what category you fall under.

Prison is not a rehabilitation center; we must stop treating it as one. Jail offers little to no drug rehabilitation, and 95% of addicted people who are incarcerated will go back to abusing drugs as soon as they leave the facility. Not to mention that having a criminal charge will make it very hard for individuals to find a job and housing. It is nearly impossible for those struggling to beat the odds; even if they do, the penalties for their past will never end. Take Jason Bost, for example. Jason is a loving father to a little girl. Unfortunately, 20 years after his arrest for drug possession, he still faces unnecessary consequences that prevent him from being there for the people who matter most in even the simplest ways. In 1994 Jason did not expect that, like other Black men, the criminal justice system would hang over his head for the rest of his life. Moving forward from his sentencing, he would discover how hard it was to find employment and be forced to give up his dreams of being a lawyer, as no law school would accept him.

Nevertheless, Bost persevered and fought for a life for himself and his family. Just when he thought he could let sleeping dogs lie, his daughter asked him to be her coach for her basketball team. One of the requirements for this position would be a lack of a felony charge. Jason adores his daughter more than anything in the world. The fact that he has to look his baby in the eyes and tell her no is devastating, all because of a mistake that happened over two decades ago.

Our world is wildly unfair. There is no reason why wealthy people should get multiple chances, while others suffer the consequences of their situations. This type of reasoning is what birthed a community of people who decided to shed the politics and focus on the actual problem. In the rooms of drug addiction recovery, there is no discrimination. The only qualification you need to be a part of the club is the desire to get and stay clean. This refuge provides a safe space for people from all walks of life to earn their second chance. It is an excellent resource but can only do so much to protect those in need. That is why we, as a society, need to take accountability and step up for those who do not have a voice. Everyone deserves a chance to be saved.

Jackie Baird (jackieruth333@gmail.com) is a photographer and graduate student at MICA. She is currently working on her senior thesis focusing on the social impacts of drug and alcohol addiction.