{"id":17066,"date":"2016-11-25T15:42:00","date_gmt":"2016-11-25T15:42:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/news\/drugs-a-new-form-of-slavery-pope-francis-says-87678\/"},"modified":"2016-11-25T15:42:00","modified_gmt":"2016-11-25T15:42:00","slug":"drugs-a-new-form-of-slavery-pope-francis-says","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2016\/11\/drugs-a-new-form-of-slavery-pope-francis-says\/","title":{"rendered":"Drugs a ‘new form of slavery’, Pope Francis says"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

<\/p>\n

Vatican City, Nov 25, 2016 \/ 08:42 am (CNA\/EWTN News<\/a>).- Drug addiction is a contemporary form of slavery, Pope Francis lamented Thursday, emphasizing that a rehabilitation which restores victims' joy and dignity is much needed.<\/p>\n

\u201cDrugs are a wound in our society.\u00a0 A wound that traps many people in the networks. They are victims have lost their freedom to fall into slavery; slavery of a dependency we can call \u2018chemistry,\u2019\u201d the Pope said Nov. 24.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s certain, he said, that drugs consist \u201cof a new form of slavery, like many others that plague man today and society in general.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pope Francis spoke to participants in a Nov. 23-24 workshop organized by the Pontifical Academy for the Sciences titled \u201cWorkshop on Narcotics: Problems and Solutions of this Global Issue.\u201d<\/p>\n

The two-day gathering focused on the history of drug use and the current global situation, the global impact of the drug trade, methods of prevention such as education, and the risks of medicinal and recreational drug use.<\/p>\n

Francis has spoken out against the drug trade frequently, naming it as a primary cause of greed and corruption contributing to the disintegration of society.<\/p>\n

In his speech to workshop participants, the Pope noted that there is no \u201csingle cause\u201d that leads to drug use, but that the factors are many, and often involve the absence of family, social pressures, propaganda from traffickers, and the desire to have new experiences.<\/p>\n

Each person addicted to drugs brings with them \u201ca different personal history which must be heard, understood, loved and, as soon as possible, healed and purified,\u201d he said, cautioning attendees not to fall into \u201cthe injustice of classifying the drug addict as if they were an object or a broken mess.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe dignity of the person is what we have come to encounter,\u201d he said, noting that the high numbers of addicts isn\u2019t surprising given the wide range of opportunities available to achieve a superficial happiness.<\/p>\n

However, rather than bringing satisfaction, this ephemeral satisfaction \u201cin the end becomes a venom, corrodes, corrupts and kills,\u201d he said. \u201cThe person is destroyed and, with them, everything around them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pope Francis stressed the importance of knowing the full scope of the drug problem, \u201cwhich is essentially destructive,\u201d above all in terms of the vast production of drugs and the system of distribution.<\/p>\n

The cartel networks \u201cenable the death of a person,\u201d he said, noting that it is not necessarily physical death,\u00a0 but \u201cpsychological death, social death\u201d in the \u201cdiscarding of a person.\u201d<\/p>\n

Distribution systems, even more than production, represent \u201can important part of organized crime,\u201d Francis said, explaining that a key challenge is knowing how to find a way to monitor the different circuits of money laundering and corruption, because \u201cthey are united.\u201d<\/p>\n

The only way to do this, he said, is to trace the line that runs from a small-scale drug market up to \u201cthe most sophisticated forms of laundering that nest in financial capital and in the banks which are dedicated to the laundering of dirty money.\u201d<\/p>\n

Francis recalled the story of a judge he knew in Argentina who had several thousand kilometers of border territory under his jurisdiction. As soon as this judge began working seriously to eradicate the problem, he got a letter in the mail with a photo of his family saying nothing more than \u201cyour son goes to this school, your wife does this.\u201d<\/p>\n

When you one begins to search and climb up through the distribution networks, \u201cone finds that word of five letters: mafia,\u201d the Pope said, because just as in the distribution the one who is a slave to drugs is killed, \u201cso too whoever wants to destroy this slavery is killed.\u201d<\/p>\n

In order to curb the demand for drugs, Pope Francis said strong efforts are needed, coupled by extensive programs aimed at promoting health, family support and education, which he said \u201cis fundamental.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIntegral human formation is the priority\u201d because it gives people the ability and means of knowing how to discern, so that when the moment comes, \u201cthey can discard the different offers and help others.\u201d<\/p>\n

This type of formation is particularly important for the vulnerable in society, such as children and youth, he said, noting that it\u2019s also valuable for families and others who suffer from various forms of marginalization.<\/p>\n

However, the Pope lamented that the problem of drug prevention as a program \u201cis always slowed down by a thousand and a factor of the ineptitude of governments: by a sector of the government here, there or there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Drug prevention programs \u201care almost non-existent,\u201d he said, adding that once the problem of drugs has advanced and settled into society, \u201cit\u2019s very difficult\u201d to overcome.<\/p>\n

Rehabilitation of the victims was also something brought up by the Pope, which he said is a priority in terms of restoring to the victims the joy and dignity they had lost. While it might not be assured by the state or its legislation, \u201crecovery will be difficult and the victims could be re-victimized,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Pope Francis closed his speech by encouraging attendees to continue their work and \u201cto realize, within your own possibilities, the happy initiatives you have undertaken in the service of those who suffer most in this field of war.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fight is difficult,\u201d he said,\u00a0 noting that whenever one \u201cgives face\u201d and begins to work seriously, they run the same risk as the judge from Argentina, of getting \u201ca little card with some insinuation.\u201d<\/p>\n

However,\u00a0 he stressed that despite the risks,\u00a0 \u201cwe are defending the human family, defending the youth, children\u2026It\u2019s not a matter of momentary discipline, it\u2019s a thing that is projected forward.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

Vatican City, Nov 25, 2016 \/ 08:42 am (CNA\/EWTN News<\/a>).- Drug addiction is a contemporary form of slavery, Pope Francis lamented Thursday, emphasizing that a rehabilitation which restores victims’ joy and dignity is much needed.<\/p>\n

“Drugs are a wound in our society.  A wound that traps many people in the networks. They are victims have lost their freedom to fall into slavery; slavery of a dependency we can call ‘chemistry,’” the Pope said Nov. 24.<\/p>\n

It’s certain, he said, that drugs consist “of a new form of slavery, like many others that plague man today and society in general.”<\/p>\n

Pope Francis spoke to participants in a Nov. 23-24 workshop organized by the Pontifical Academy for the Sciences titled “Workshop on Narcotics: Problems and Solutions of this Global Issue.”<\/p>\n

The two-day gathering focused on the history of drug use and the current global situation, the global impact of the drug trade, methods of prevention such as education, and the risks of medicinal and recreational drug use.<\/p>\n

Francis has spoken out against the drug trade frequently, naming it as a primary cause of greed and corruption contributing to the disintegration of society.<\/p>\n

In his speech to workshop participants, the Pope noted that there is no “single cause” that leads to drug use, but that the factors are many, and often involve the absence of family, social pressures, propaganda from traffickers, and the desire to have new experiences.<\/p>\n

Each person addicted to drugs brings with them “a different personal history which must be heard, understood, loved and, as soon as possible, healed and purified,” he said, cautioning attendees not to fall into “the injustice of classifying the drug addict as if they were an object or a broken mess.”<\/p>\n

“The dignity of the person is what we have come to encounter,” he said, noting that the high numbers of addicts isn’t surprising given the wide range of opportunities available to achieve a superficial happiness.<\/p>\n

However, rather than bringing satisfaction, this ephemeral satisfaction “in the end becomes a venom, corrodes, corrupts and kills,” he said. “The person is destroyed and, with them, everything around them.”<\/p>\n

Pope Francis stressed the importance of knowing the full scope of the drug problem, “which is essentially destructive,” above all in terms of the vast production of drugs and the system of distribution.<\/p>\n

The cartel networks “enable the death of a person,” he said, noting that it is not necessarily physical death,  but “psychological death, social death” in the “discarding of a person.”<\/p>\n

Distribution systems, even more than production, represent “an important part of organized crime,” Francis said, explaining that a key challenge is knowing how to find a way to monitor the different circuits of money laundering and corruption, because “they are united.”<\/p>\n

The only way to do this, he said, is to trace the line that runs from a small-scale drug market up to “the most sophisticated forms of laundering that nest in financial capital and in the banks which are dedicated to the laundering of dirty money.”<\/p>\n

Francis recalled the story of a judge he knew in Argentina who had several thousand kilometers of border territory under his jurisdiction. As soon as this judge began working seriously to eradicate the problem, he got a letter in the mail with a photo of his family saying nothing more than “your son goes to this school, your wife does this.”<\/p>\n

When you one begins to search and climb up through the distribution networks, “one finds that word of five letters: mafia,” the Pope said, because just as in the distribution the one who is a slave to drugs is killed, “so too whoever wants to destroy this slavery is killed.”<\/p>\n

In order to curb the demand for drugs, Pope Francis said strong efforts are needed, coupled by extensive programs aimed at promoting health, family support and education, which he said “is fundamental.”<\/p>\n

“Integral human formation is the priority” because it gives people the ability and means of knowing how to discern, so that when the moment comes, “they can discard the different offers and help others.”<\/p>\n

This type of formation is particularly important for the vulnerable in society, such as children and youth, he said, noting that it’s also valuable for families and others who suffer from various forms of marginalization.<\/p>\n

However, the Pope lamented that the problem of drug prevention as a program “is always slowed down by a thousand and a factor of the ineptitude of governments: by a sector of the government here, there or there.”<\/p>\n

Drug prevention programs “are almost non-existent,” he said, adding that once the problem of drugs has advanced and settled into society, “it’s very difficult” to overcome.<\/p>\n

Rehabilitation of the victims was also something brought up by the Pope, which he said is a priority in terms of restoring to the victims the joy and dignity they had lost. While it might not be assured by the state or its legislation, “recovery will be difficult and the victims could be re-victimized,” he said.<\/p>\n

Pope Francis closed his speech by encouraging attendees to continue their work and “to realize, within your own possibilities, the happy initiatives you have undertaken in the service of those who suffer most in this field of war.”<\/p>\n

“The fight is difficult,” he said,  noting that whenever one “gives face” and begins to work seriously, they run the same risk as the judge from Argentina, of getting “a little card with some insinuation.”<\/p>\n

However,  he stressed that despite the risks,  “we are defending the human family, defending the youth, children…It’s not a matter of momentary discipline, it’s a thing that is projected forward.”<\/p>\n

\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1031,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17066","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-vatican"],"yoast_head":"\nDrugs a 'new form of slavery', Pope Francis says<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Vatican City, Nov 25, 2016 \/ 08:42 am (CNA\/EWTN News).- Drug addiction is a contemporary form of slavery, Pope Francis lamented Thursday, emphasizing that a rehabilitation which restores victims' joy and dignity is much needed. “Drugs are a wound in our society.  A wound that traps many people in the networks. They are victims have lost their freedom to fall into slavery; slavery of a dependency we can call ‘chemistry,’” the Pope said Nov. 24. It’s certain, he said, that drugs consist “of a new form of slavery, like many others that plague man today and society in general.” Pope Francis spoke to participants in a Nov. 23-24 workshop organized by the Pontifical Academy for the Sciences titled “Workshop on Narcotics: Problems and Solutions of this Global Issue.” The two-day gathering focused on the history of drug use and the current global situation, the global impact of the drug trade, methods of prevention such as education, and the risks of medicinal and recreational drug use. Francis has spoken out against the drug trade frequently, naming it as a primary cause of greed and corruption contributing to the disintegration of society. In his speech to workshop participants, the Pope noted that there is no “single cause” that leads to drug use, but that the factors are many, and often involve the absence of family, social pressures, propaganda from traffickers, and the desire to have new experiences. Each person addicted to drugs brings with them “a different personal history which must be heard, understood, loved and, as soon as possible, healed and purified,” he said, cautioning attendees not to fall into “the injustice of classifying the drug addict as if they were an object or a broken mess.” “The dignity of the person is what we have come to encounter,” he said, noting that the high numbers of addicts isn’t surprising given the wide range of opportunities available to achieve a superficial happiness. However, rather than bringing satisfaction, this ephemeral satisfaction “in the end becomes a venom, corrodes, corrupts and kills,” he said. “The person is destroyed and, with them, everything around them.” Pope Francis stressed the importance of knowing the full scope of the drug problem, “which is essentially destructive,” above all in terms of the vast production of drugs and the system of distribution. The cartel networks “enable the death of a person,” he said, noting that it is not necessarily physical death,  but “psychological death, social death” in the “discarding of a person.” Distribution systems, even more than production, represent “an important part of organized crime,” Francis said, explaining that a key challenge is knowing how to find a way to monitor the different circuits of money laundering and corruption, because “they are united.” The only way to do this, he said, is to trace the line that runs from a small-scale drug market up to “the most sophisticated forms of laundering that nest in financial capital and in the banks which are dedicated to the laundering of dirty money.” Francis recalled the story of a judge he knew in Argentina who had several thousand kilometers of border territory under his jurisdiction. As soon as this judge began working seriously to eradicate the problem, he got a letter in the mail with a photo of his family saying nothing more than “your son goes to this school, your wife does this.” When you one begins to search and climb up through the distribution networks, “one finds that word of five letters: mafia,” the Pope said, because just as in the distribution the one who is a slave to drugs is killed, “so too whoever wants to destroy this slavery is killed.” In order to curb the demand for drugs, Pope Francis said strong efforts are needed, coupled by extensive programs aimed at promoting health, family support and education, which he said “is fundamental.” “Integral human formation is the priority” because it gives people the ability and means of knowing how to discern, so that when the moment comes, “they can discard the different offers and help others.” This type of formation is particularly important for the vulnerable in society, such as children and youth, he said, noting that it’s also valuable for families and others who suffer from various forms of marginalization. However, the Pope lamented that the problem of drug prevention as a program “is always slowed down by a thousand and a factor of the ineptitude of governments: by a sector of the government here, there or there.” Drug prevention programs “are almost non-existent,” he said, adding that once the problem of drugs has advanced and settled into society, “it’s very difficult” to overcome. Rehabilitation of the victims was also something brought up by the Pope, which he said is a priority in terms of restoring to the victims the joy and dignity they had lost. While it might not be assured by the state or its legislation, “recovery will be difficult and the victims could be re-victimized,” he said. Pope Francis closed his speech by encouraging attendees to continue their work and “to realize, within your own possibilities, the happy initiatives you have undertaken in the service of those who suffer most in this field of war.” “The fight is difficult,” he said,  noting that whenever one “gives face” and begins to work seriously, they run the same risk as the judge from Argentina, of getting “a little card with some insinuation.” However,  he stressed that despite the risks,  “we are defending the human family, defending the youth, children...It’s not a matter of momentary discipline, it’s a thing that is projected forward.”\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2016\/11\/drugs-a-new-form-of-slavery-pope-francis-says\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Drugs a 'new form of slavery', Pope Francis says\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Vatican City, Nov 25, 2016 \/ 08:42 am (CNA\/EWTN News).- Drug addiction is a contemporary form of slavery, Pope Francis lamented Thursday, emphasizing that a rehabilitation which restores victims' joy and dignity is much needed. “Drugs are a wound in our society.  A wound that traps many people in the networks. They are victims have lost their freedom to fall into slavery; slavery of a dependency we can call ‘chemistry,’” the Pope said Nov. 24. It’s certain, he said, that drugs consist “of a new form of slavery, like many others that plague man today and society in general.” Pope Francis spoke to participants in a Nov. 23-24 workshop organized by the Pontifical Academy for the Sciences titled “Workshop on Narcotics: Problems and Solutions of this Global Issue.” The two-day gathering focused on the history of drug use and the current global situation, the global impact of the drug trade, methods of prevention such as education, and the risks of medicinal and recreational drug use. Francis has spoken out against the drug trade frequently, naming it as a primary cause of greed and corruption contributing to the disintegration of society. In his speech to workshop participants, the Pope noted that there is no “single cause” that leads to drug use, but that the factors are many, and often involve the absence of family, social pressures, propaganda from traffickers, and the desire to have new experiences. Each person addicted to drugs brings with them “a different personal history which must be heard, understood, loved and, as soon as possible, healed and purified,” he said, cautioning attendees not to fall into “the injustice of classifying the drug addict as if they were an object or a broken mess.” “The dignity of the person is what we have come to encounter,” he said, noting that the high numbers of addicts isn’t surprising given the wide range of opportunities available to achieve a superficial happiness. However, rather than bringing satisfaction, this ephemeral satisfaction “in the end becomes a venom, corrodes, corrupts and kills,” he said. “The person is destroyed and, with them, everything around them.” Pope Francis stressed the importance of knowing the full scope of the drug problem, “which is essentially destructive,” above all in terms of the vast production of drugs and the system of distribution. The cartel networks “enable the death of a person,” he said, noting that it is not necessarily physical death,  but “psychological death, social death” in the “discarding of a person.” Distribution systems, even more than production, represent “an important part of organized crime,” Francis said, explaining that a key challenge is knowing how to find a way to monitor the different circuits of money laundering and corruption, because “they are united.” The only way to do this, he said, is to trace the line that runs from a small-scale drug market up to “the most sophisticated forms of laundering that nest in financial capital and in the banks which are dedicated to the laundering of dirty money.” Francis recalled the story of a judge he knew in Argentina who had several thousand kilometers of border territory under his jurisdiction. As soon as this judge began working seriously to eradicate the problem, he got a letter in the mail with a photo of his family saying nothing more than “your son goes to this school, your wife does this.” When you one begins to search and climb up through the distribution networks, “one finds that word of five letters: mafia,” the Pope said, because just as in the distribution the one who is a slave to drugs is killed, “so too whoever wants to destroy this slavery is killed.” In order to curb the demand for drugs, Pope Francis said strong efforts are needed, coupled by extensive programs aimed at promoting health, family support and education, which he said “is fundamental.” “Integral human formation is the priority” because it gives people the ability and means of knowing how to discern, so that when the moment comes, “they can discard the different offers and help others.” This type of formation is particularly important for the vulnerable in society, such as children and youth, he said, noting that it’s also valuable for families and others who suffer from various forms of marginalization. However, the Pope lamented that the problem of drug prevention as a program “is always slowed down by a thousand and a factor of the ineptitude of governments: by a sector of the government here, there or there.” Drug prevention programs “are almost non-existent,” he said, adding that once the problem of drugs has advanced and settled into society, “it’s very difficult” to overcome. Rehabilitation of the victims was also something brought up by the Pope, which he said is a priority in terms of restoring to the victims the joy and dignity they had lost. While it might not be assured by the state or its legislation, “recovery will be difficult and the victims could be re-victimized,” he said. Pope Francis closed his speech by encouraging attendees to continue their work and “to realize, within your own possibilities, the happy initiatives you have undertaken in the service of those who suffer most in this field of war.” “The fight is difficult,” he said,  noting that whenever one “gives face” and begins to work seriously, they run the same risk as the judge from Argentina, of getting “a little card with some insinuation.” However,  he stressed that despite the risks,  “we are defending the human family, defending the youth, children...It’s not a matter of momentary discipline, it’s a thing that is projected forward.”\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2016\/11\/drugs-a-new-form-of-slavery-pope-francis-says\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Catholic News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2016-11-25T15:42:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/images\/size340\/Pope_Francis_2_at_the_general_audience_in_St_Peters_Square_April_13_2016_Credit_Daniel_Ibanez_CNA_4_13_16.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"CNA Daily News\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"CNA Daily News\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2016\/11\/drugs-a-new-form-of-slavery-pope-francis-says\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2016\/11\/drugs-a-new-form-of-slavery-pope-francis-says\/\",\"name\":\"Drugs a 'new form of slavery', Pope Francis says\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2016-11-25T15:42:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2016-11-25T15:42:00+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/#\/schema\/person\/35d4bd7addc580050842c844a11575f1\"},\"description\":\"Vatican City, Nov 25, 2016 \/ 08:42 am (CNA\/EWTN News).- Drug addiction is a contemporary form of slavery, Pope Francis lamented Thursday, emphasizing that a rehabilitation which restores victims' joy and dignity is much needed. “Drugs are a wound in our society.  A wound that traps many people in the networks. They are victims have lost their freedom to fall into slavery; slavery of a dependency we can call ‘chemistry,’” the Pope said Nov. 24. It’s certain, he said, that drugs consist “of a new form of slavery, like many others that plague man today and society in general.” Pope Francis spoke to participants in a Nov. 23-24 workshop organized by the Pontifical Academy for the Sciences titled “Workshop on Narcotics: Problems and Solutions of this Global Issue.” The two-day gathering focused on the history of drug use and the current global situation, the global impact of the drug trade, methods of prevention such as education, and the risks of medicinal and recreational drug use. Francis has spoken out against the drug trade frequently, naming it as a primary cause of greed and corruption contributing to the disintegration of society. In his speech to workshop participants, the Pope noted that there is no “single cause” that leads to drug use, but that the factors are many, and often involve the absence of family, social pressures, propaganda from traffickers, and the desire to have new experiences. Each person addicted to drugs brings with them “a different personal history which must be heard, understood, loved and, as soon as possible, healed and purified,” he said, cautioning attendees not to fall into “the injustice of classifying the drug addict as if they were an object or a broken mess.” “The dignity of the person is what we have come to encounter,” he said, noting that the high numbers of addicts isn’t surprising given the wide range of opportunities available to achieve a superficial happiness. However, rather than bringing satisfaction, this ephemeral satisfaction “in the end becomes a venom, corrodes, corrupts and kills,” he said. “The person is destroyed and, with them, everything around them.” Pope Francis stressed the importance of knowing the full scope of the drug problem, “which is essentially destructive,” above all in terms of the vast production of drugs and the system of distribution. The cartel networks “enable the death of a person,” he said, noting that it is not necessarily physical death,  but “psychological death, social death” in the “discarding of a person.” Distribution systems, even more than production, represent “an important part of organized crime,” Francis said, explaining that a key challenge is knowing how to find a way to monitor the different circuits of money laundering and corruption, because “they are united.” The only way to do this, he said, is to trace the line that runs from a small-scale drug market up to “the most sophisticated forms of laundering that nest in financial capital and in the banks which are dedicated to the laundering of dirty money.” Francis recalled the story of a judge he knew in Argentina who had several thousand kilometers of border territory under his jurisdiction. As soon as this judge began working seriously to eradicate the problem, he got a letter in the mail with a photo of his family saying nothing more than “your son goes to this school, your wife does this.” When you one begins to search and climb up through the distribution networks, “one finds that word of five letters: mafia,” the Pope said, because just as in the distribution the one who is a slave to drugs is killed, “so too whoever wants to destroy this slavery is killed.” In order to curb the demand for drugs, Pope Francis said strong efforts are needed, coupled by extensive programs aimed at promoting health, family support and education, which he said “is fundamental.” “Integral human formation is the priority” because it gives people the ability and means of knowing how to discern, so that when the moment comes, “they can discard the different offers and help others.” This type of formation is particularly important for the vulnerable in society, such as children and youth, he said, noting that it’s also valuable for families and others who suffer from various forms of marginalization. However, the Pope lamented that the problem of drug prevention as a program “is always slowed down by a thousand and a factor of the ineptitude of governments: by a sector of the government here, there or there.” Drug prevention programs “are almost non-existent,” he said, adding that once the problem of drugs has advanced and settled into society, “it’s very difficult” to overcome. Rehabilitation of the victims was also something brought up by the Pope, which he said is a priority in terms of restoring to the victims the joy and dignity they had lost. While it might not be assured by the state or its legislation, “recovery will be difficult and the victims could be re-victimized,” he said. Pope Francis closed his speech by encouraging attendees to continue their work and “to realize, within your own possibilities, the happy initiatives you have undertaken in the service of those who suffer most in this field of war.” “The fight is difficult,” he said,  noting that whenever one “gives face” and begins to work seriously, they run the same risk as the judge from Argentina, of getting “a little card with some insinuation.” However,  he stressed that despite the risks,  “we are defending the human family, defending the youth, children...It’s not a matter of momentary discipline, it’s a thing that is projected forward.”\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2016\/11\/drugs-a-new-form-of-slavery-pope-francis-says\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2016\/11\/drugs-a-new-form-of-slavery-pope-francis-says\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2016\/11\/drugs-a-new-form-of-slavery-pope-francis-says\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Drugs a ‘new form of slavery’, Pope Francis says\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/\",\"name\":\"Catholic News\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/#\/schema\/person\/35d4bd7addc580050842c844a11575f1\",\"name\":\"CNA Daily News\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8f1180c7dca7995d4a997aac72a3a88a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8f1180c7dca7995d4a997aac72a3a88a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"CNA Daily News\"},\"sameAs\":[\"http:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/author\/cna-daily-news\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Drugs a 'new form of slavery', Pope Francis says","description":"Vatican City, Nov 25, 2016 \/ 08:42 am (CNA\/EWTN News).- Drug addiction is a contemporary form of slavery, Pope Francis lamented Thursday, emphasizing that a rehabilitation which restores victims' joy and dignity is much needed. “Drugs are a wound in our society.  A wound that traps many people in the networks. They are victims have lost their freedom to fall into slavery; slavery of a dependency we can call ‘chemistry,’” the Pope said Nov. 24. It’s certain, he said, that drugs consist “of a new form of slavery, like many others that plague man today and society in general.” Pope Francis spoke to participants in a Nov. 23-24 workshop organized by the Pontifical Academy for the Sciences titled “Workshop on Narcotics: Problems and Solutions of this Global Issue.” The two-day gathering focused on the history of drug use and the current global situation, the global impact of the drug trade, methods of prevention such as education, and the risks of medicinal and recreational drug use. Francis has spoken out against the drug trade frequently, naming it as a primary cause of greed and corruption contributing to the disintegration of society. In his speech to workshop participants, the Pope noted that there is no “single cause” that leads to drug use, but that the factors are many, and often involve the absence of family, social pressures, propaganda from traffickers, and the desire to have new experiences. Each person addicted to drugs brings with them “a different personal history which must be heard, understood, loved and, as soon as possible, healed and purified,” he said, cautioning attendees not to fall into “the injustice of classifying the drug addict as if they were an object or a broken mess.” “The dignity of the person is what we have come to encounter,” he said, noting that the high numbers of addicts isn’t surprising given the wide range of opportunities available to achieve a superficial happiness. However, rather than bringing satisfaction, this ephemeral satisfaction “in the end becomes a venom, corrodes, corrupts and kills,” he said. “The person is destroyed and, with them, everything around them.” Pope Francis stressed the importance of knowing the full scope of the drug problem, “which is essentially destructive,” above all in terms of the vast production of drugs and the system of distribution. The cartel networks “enable the death of a person,” he said, noting that it is not necessarily physical death,  but “psychological death, social death” in the “discarding of a person.” Distribution systems, even more than production, represent “an important part of organized crime,” Francis said, explaining that a key challenge is knowing how to find a way to monitor the different circuits of money laundering and corruption, because “they are united.” The only way to do this, he said, is to trace the line that runs from a small-scale drug market up to “the most sophisticated forms of laundering that nest in financial capital and in the banks which are dedicated to the laundering of dirty money.” Francis recalled the story of a judge he knew in Argentina who had several thousand kilometers of border territory under his jurisdiction. As soon as this judge began working seriously to eradicate the problem, he got a letter in the mail with a photo of his family saying nothing more than “your son goes to this school, your wife does this.” When you one begins to search and climb up through the distribution networks, “one finds that word of five letters: mafia,” the Pope said, because just as in the distribution the one who is a slave to drugs is killed, “so too whoever wants to destroy this slavery is killed.” In order to curb the demand for drugs, Pope Francis said strong efforts are needed, coupled by extensive programs aimed at promoting health, family support and education, which he said “is fundamental.” “Integral human formation is the priority” because it gives people the ability and means of knowing how to discern, so that when the moment comes, “they can discard the different offers and help others.” This type of formation is particularly important for the vulnerable in society, such as children and youth, he said, noting that it’s also valuable for families and others who suffer from various forms of marginalization. However, the Pope lamented that the problem of drug prevention as a program “is always slowed down by a thousand and a factor of the ineptitude of governments: by a sector of the government here, there or there.” Drug prevention programs “are almost non-existent,” he said, adding that once the problem of drugs has advanced and settled into society, “it’s very difficult” to overcome. Rehabilitation of the victims was also something brought up by the Pope, which he said is a priority in terms of restoring to the victims the joy and dignity they had lost. While it might not be assured by the state or its legislation, “recovery will be difficult and the victims could be re-victimized,” he said. Pope Francis closed his speech by encouraging attendees to continue their work and “to realize, within your own possibilities, the happy initiatives you have undertaken in the service of those who suffer most in this field of war.” “The fight is difficult,” he said,  noting that whenever one “gives face” and begins to work seriously, they run the same risk as the judge from Argentina, of getting “a little card with some insinuation.” However,  he stressed that despite the risks,  “we are defending the human family, defending the youth, children...It’s not a matter of momentary discipline, it’s a thing that is projected forward.”","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2016\/11\/drugs-a-new-form-of-slavery-pope-francis-says\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Drugs a 'new form of slavery', Pope Francis says","og_description":"Vatican City, Nov 25, 2016 \/ 08:42 am (CNA\/EWTN News).- Drug addiction is a contemporary form of slavery, Pope Francis lamented Thursday, emphasizing that a rehabilitation which restores victims' joy and dignity is much needed. “Drugs are a wound in our society.  A wound that traps many people in the networks. They are victims have lost their freedom to fall into slavery; slavery of a dependency we can call ‘chemistry,’” the Pope said Nov. 24. It’s certain, he said, that drugs consist “of a new form of slavery, like many others that plague man today and society in general.” Pope Francis spoke to participants in a Nov. 23-24 workshop organized by the Pontifical Academy for the Sciences titled “Workshop on Narcotics: Problems and Solutions of this Global Issue.” The two-day gathering focused on the history of drug use and the current global situation, the global impact of the drug trade, methods of prevention such as education, and the risks of medicinal and recreational drug use. Francis has spoken out against the drug trade frequently, naming it as a primary cause of greed and corruption contributing to the disintegration of society. In his speech to workshop participants, the Pope noted that there is no “single cause” that leads to drug use, but that the factors are many, and often involve the absence of family, social pressures, propaganda from traffickers, and the desire to have new experiences. Each person addicted to drugs brings with them “a different personal history which must be heard, understood, loved and, as soon as possible, healed and purified,” he said, cautioning attendees not to fall into “the injustice of classifying the drug addict as if they were an object or a broken mess.” “The dignity of the person is what we have come to encounter,” he said, noting that the high numbers of addicts isn’t surprising given the wide range of opportunities available to achieve a superficial happiness. However, rather than bringing satisfaction, this ephemeral satisfaction “in the end becomes a venom, corrodes, corrupts and kills,” he said. “The person is destroyed and, with them, everything around them.” Pope Francis stressed the importance of knowing the full scope of the drug problem, “which is essentially destructive,” above all in terms of the vast production of drugs and the system of distribution. The cartel networks “enable the death of a person,” he said, noting that it is not necessarily physical death,  but “psychological death, social death” in the “discarding of a person.” Distribution systems, even more than production, represent “an important part of organized crime,” Francis said, explaining that a key challenge is knowing how to find a way to monitor the different circuits of money laundering and corruption, because “they are united.” The only way to do this, he said, is to trace the line that runs from a small-scale drug market up to “the most sophisticated forms of laundering that nest in financial capital and in the banks which are dedicated to the laundering of dirty money.” Francis recalled the story of a judge he knew in Argentina who had several thousand kilometers of border territory under his jurisdiction. As soon as this judge began working seriously to eradicate the problem, he got a letter in the mail with a photo of his family saying nothing more than “your son goes to this school, your wife does this.” When you one begins to search and climb up through the distribution networks, “one finds that word of five letters: mafia,” the Pope said, because just as in the distribution the one who is a slave to drugs is killed, “so too whoever wants to destroy this slavery is killed.” In order to curb the demand for drugs, Pope Francis said strong efforts are needed, coupled by extensive programs aimed at promoting health, family support and education, which he said “is fundamental.” “Integral human formation is the priority” because it gives people the ability and means of knowing how to discern, so that when the moment comes, “they can discard the different offers and help others.” This type of formation is particularly important for the vulnerable in society, such as children and youth, he said, noting that it’s also valuable for families and others who suffer from various forms of marginalization. However, the Pope lamented that the problem of drug prevention as a program “is always slowed down by a thousand and a factor of the ineptitude of governments: by a sector of the government here, there or there.” Drug prevention programs “are almost non-existent,” he said, adding that once the problem of drugs has advanced and settled into society, “it’s very difficult” to overcome. Rehabilitation of the victims was also something brought up by the Pope, which he said is a priority in terms of restoring to the victims the joy and dignity they had lost. While it might not be assured by the state or its legislation, “recovery will be difficult and the victims could be re-victimized,” he said. Pope Francis closed his speech by encouraging attendees to continue their work and “to realize, within your own possibilities, the happy initiatives you have undertaken in the service of those who suffer most in this field of war.” “The fight is difficult,” he said,  noting that whenever one “gives face” and begins to work seriously, they run the same risk as the judge from Argentina, of getting “a little card with some insinuation.” However,  he stressed that despite the risks,  “we are defending the human family, defending the youth, children...It’s not a matter of momentary discipline, it’s a thing that is projected forward.”","og_url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2016\/11\/drugs-a-new-form-of-slavery-pope-francis-says\/","og_site_name":"Catholic News","article_published_time":"2016-11-25T15:42:00+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/images\/size340\/Pope_Francis_2_at_the_general_audience_in_St_Peters_Square_April_13_2016_Credit_Daniel_Ibanez_CNA_4_13_16.jpg"}],"author":"CNA Daily News","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"CNA Daily News","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2016\/11\/drugs-a-new-form-of-slavery-pope-francis-says\/","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2016\/11\/drugs-a-new-form-of-slavery-pope-francis-says\/","name":"Drugs a 'new form of slavery', Pope Francis says","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/#website"},"datePublished":"2016-11-25T15:42:00+00:00","dateModified":"2016-11-25T15:42:00+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/#\/schema\/person\/35d4bd7addc580050842c844a11575f1"},"description":"Vatican City, Nov 25, 2016 \/ 08:42 am (CNA\/EWTN News).- Drug addiction is a contemporary form of slavery, Pope Francis lamented Thursday, emphasizing that a rehabilitation which restores victims' joy and dignity is much needed. “Drugs are a wound in our society.  A wound that traps many people in the networks. They are victims have lost their freedom to fall into slavery; slavery of a dependency we can call ‘chemistry,’” the Pope said Nov. 24. It’s certain, he said, that drugs consist “of a new form of slavery, like many others that plague man today and society in general.” Pope Francis spoke to participants in a Nov. 23-24 workshop organized by the Pontifical Academy for the Sciences titled “Workshop on Narcotics: Problems and Solutions of this Global Issue.” The two-day gathering focused on the history of drug use and the current global situation, the global impact of the drug trade, methods of prevention such as education, and the risks of medicinal and recreational drug use. Francis has spoken out against the drug trade frequently, naming it as a primary cause of greed and corruption contributing to the disintegration of society. In his speech to workshop participants, the Pope noted that there is no “single cause” that leads to drug use, but that the factors are many, and often involve the absence of family, social pressures, propaganda from traffickers, and the desire to have new experiences. Each person addicted to drugs brings with them “a different personal history which must be heard, understood, loved and, as soon as possible, healed and purified,” he said, cautioning attendees not to fall into “the injustice of classifying the drug addict as if they were an object or a broken mess.” “The dignity of the person is what we have come to encounter,” he said, noting that the high numbers of addicts isn’t surprising given the wide range of opportunities available to achieve a superficial happiness. However, rather than bringing satisfaction, this ephemeral satisfaction “in the end becomes a venom, corrodes, corrupts and kills,” he said. “The person is destroyed and, with them, everything around them.” Pope Francis stressed the importance of knowing the full scope of the drug problem, “which is essentially destructive,” above all in terms of the vast production of drugs and the system of distribution. The cartel networks “enable the death of a person,” he said, noting that it is not necessarily physical death,  but “psychological death, social death” in the “discarding of a person.” Distribution systems, even more than production, represent “an important part of organized crime,” Francis said, explaining that a key challenge is knowing how to find a way to monitor the different circuits of money laundering and corruption, because “they are united.” The only way to do this, he said, is to trace the line that runs from a small-scale drug market up to “the most sophisticated forms of laundering that nest in financial capital and in the banks which are dedicated to the laundering of dirty money.” Francis recalled the story of a judge he knew in Argentina who had several thousand kilometers of border territory under his jurisdiction. As soon as this judge began working seriously to eradicate the problem, he got a letter in the mail with a photo of his family saying nothing more than “your son goes to this school, your wife does this.” When you one begins to search and climb up through the distribution networks, “one finds that word of five letters: mafia,” the Pope said, because just as in the distribution the one who is a slave to drugs is killed, “so too whoever wants to destroy this slavery is killed.” In order to curb the demand for drugs, Pope Francis said strong efforts are needed, coupled by extensive programs aimed at promoting health, family support and education, which he said “is fundamental.” “Integral human formation is the priority” because it gives people the ability and means of knowing how to discern, so that when the moment comes, “they can discard the different offers and help others.” This type of formation is particularly important for the vulnerable in society, such as children and youth, he said, noting that it’s also valuable for families and others who suffer from various forms of marginalization. However, the Pope lamented that the problem of drug prevention as a program “is always slowed down by a thousand and a factor of the ineptitude of governments: by a sector of the government here, there or there.” Drug prevention programs “are almost non-existent,” he said, adding that once the problem of drugs has advanced and settled into society, “it’s very difficult” to overcome. Rehabilitation of the victims was also something brought up by the Pope, which he said is a priority in terms of restoring to the victims the joy and dignity they had lost. While it might not be assured by the state or its legislation, “recovery will be difficult and the victims could be re-victimized,” he said. Pope Francis closed his speech by encouraging attendees to continue their work and “to realize, within your own possibilities, the happy initiatives you have undertaken in the service of those who suffer most in this field of war.” “The fight is difficult,” he said,  noting that whenever one “gives face” and begins to work seriously, they run the same risk as the judge from Argentina, of getting “a little card with some insinuation.” However,  he stressed that despite the risks,  “we are defending the human family, defending the youth, children...It’s not a matter of momentary discipline, it’s a thing that is projected forward.”","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2016\/11\/drugs-a-new-form-of-slavery-pope-francis-says\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2016\/11\/drugs-a-new-form-of-slavery-pope-francis-says\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2016\/11\/drugs-a-new-form-of-slavery-pope-francis-says\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Drugs a ‘new form of slavery’, Pope Francis says"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/","name":"Catholic News","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/#\/schema\/person\/35d4bd7addc580050842c844a11575f1","name":"CNA Daily News","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8f1180c7dca7995d4a997aac72a3a88a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8f1180c7dca7995d4a997aac72a3a88a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"CNA Daily News"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/"],"url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/author\/cna-daily-news\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17066","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1031"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17066"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17066\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17066"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17066"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17066"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}