During a town hall meeting in New Hampshire last week, Gov. Chris Christie made an emotional plea for America to rethink the way it treats addiction.
“My mother was a smoker,” Christie said. “She smoked her whole life, she was addicted to nicotine.”
When she was diagnosed with lung cancer at 71, no one said not to treat her because she was getting what she deserved, he said.
“Yet somehow, if it’s heroin or cocaine or alcohol, we say, ‘Ahh, they decided that they’re getting what they deserve,'” Christie said.
He also shared the story of a close friend who was a successful attorney, had a beautiful wife, and a happy family, but after back injury, this friend became addicted to pain killers and his life spiraled out of control. He lost everything, and was found dead at 52 with an empty bottle of Percocet and a quart of vodka.
“I’m pro-life,” he explained. “I think that if you’re pro-life that means you’ve gotta be pro-life for the whole life, not just the nine months in the womb. It’s easy to be pro-life for the nine months in the womb, they haven’t done anything to disappoint us yet. They’re perfect in there, but when they get out, that’s when it gets tough.”
Chris Christie Makes Emotional Plea To Rethink Drug Addiction …“Somehow, if it’s heroin or cocaine or alcohol, we say, ‘They decided it, they’re getting what they deserved.'”
Posted by HuffPost Politics on Friday, October 30, 2015
“The 16-year-old teenage girl on the floor of the county lockup addicted to heroine, I’m pro-life for her too,” Christie said. “We need to start thinking that way, as a party and as a people. The president needs to say those things.”
Although he didn’t delve into the specifics, Christie said the criminal justice system needs to get addicts the treatment that they need instead of jailing them.
“Every life is precious, every life is an individual gift from God,” he said. “We have to stop judging and start giving them the tools they need to get better.”
