--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's the causes, not the dependent…" description: "\"“It's the causes, not the dependent person, that must be corrected. That's why I see the United States' War on Drugs as being fought in an unrealistic ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78b/chris-prentiss-3634_addiction_it-s-the-causes-not-the-dependent-person_3229420.jpg" --- # It's the causes, not the dependent person, that must be… ![“It's the causes, not the dependent person, that must be corrected. That's why I see the United States' War on Drugs as being fought in an unrealistic manner. This war is focused on fighting drug dealers and the use of drugs here and abroad, when the effort should be primarily aimed at treating and…” quote by Chris Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78b/chris-prentiss-3634_addiction_it-s-the-causes-not-the-dependent-person_3229420.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78b/chris-prentiss-3634_addiction_it-s-the-causes-not-the-dependent-person_3229420.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78b/chris-prentiss-3634_addiction_it-s-the-causes-not-the-dependent-person_3229420.jpg) > ““It's the causes, not the dependent person, that must be corrected. That's why I see the United States' War on Drugs as being fought in an unrealistic manner. This war is focused on fighting drug dealers and the use of drugs here and abroad, when the effort should be primarily aimed at treating and curing that causes that compel people to reach for drugs.”” [Chris Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-prentiss/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The focus on dealers and users ignores root causes; treatment and prevention should be primary. **In simple terms:** Treating drug addiction requires addressing underlying causes, not just punishing users. Key Takeaway Shift resources to prevention and treatment. Themes public health policy addiction prevention Mood critical urgent Type policy advocacy When to use this quote - healthcare reform - community outreach - education campaigns Key Concepts Root cause analysis harm reduction rehabilitation Questions to Reflect On - What are the biggest barriers to treating addiction? - How can society change its view of drug users? A Different Perspective Political resistance and funding constraints may limit policy change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Addiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/addiction/) [Chris-prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chris-prentiss/) [Dependency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dependency/) [Depression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depression/) [Drug abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drug-abuse/) [Drug-war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drug-war/) [Passages-malibu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passages-malibu/) [Passages-ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passages-ventura/) [Pax-prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pax-prentiss/) [Substance abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/substance-abuse/) [War on drugs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-on-drugs/) [Wine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wine/) ## Related quotes > [“The punishment approach and bad consequences approach to treatment is the kind of thinking that is prevalent in every residential substance abuse treatment center…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-prentiss/the-punishment-approach-and-bad-consequences-approach-to-treatment-is/) [Chris Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-prentiss/) > [“If I were to create a word that more accurately describes alcoholism and addiction, I would say it was dependencyism. 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It all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/music-is-my-personal-addiction-so-much-of-everything-i-ve-done-has/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [“I am made of a thousand ghosts. Only you can shoot me down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-james/i-am-made-of-a-thousand-ghosts-only-you-can-shoot-me-down/) Bella James > [Religious work is one of the best ways to keep from facing your reality if you are Christian, if you are using it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-miller/religious-work-is-one-of-the-best-ways-to-keep-from-facing-your/) [Keith Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-miller/) > [Cold sweats, hallucinations I wanna speed to stop. 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