Final answer:
Abstinence is the only recommended low-risk choice for drugs because it completely avoids the health and social issues associated with drug use.
Step-by-step explanation:
Why is Abstinence Recommended as a Low-Risk Choice for Drugs?
Avoiding drug use, or abstinence, is considered the only recommended low-risk choice for drugs because it completely eliminates the risk of negative health outcomes associated with drug use. While there are harm reduction strategies, such as needle exchange programs or treating drug addiction, abstinence from drug use prevents the social costs associated with drug-related crimes, eliminates the risk of overdoses and poisonings, and avoids the need for legal or medical interventions.
Concerns like HIV transmission through injected drug use are serious public health issues. Abstinence is an outright preventative measure, while other strategies like consistent condom use and comprehensive sex education help reduce transmission risks if abstinence is not practiced. However, despite its preventative advantages, abstinence-only education has been criticized for not adequately reducing the spread of STIs or unintended pregnancies compared to comprehensive education that includes safe sex practices. Indeed, a Columbia University report found that abstinence-only education has been ineffective, while other research indicates a preference among the majority of U.S. adults for education that incorporates safer sex practices over abstinence-only models.
On the policy level, evaluating the effectiveness of abstinence-focused campaigns versus those that incorporate comprehensive educational efforts or legalization with regulation, like with marijuana, reveals various outcomes. Instances exist where abstinence-only education correlates with increased teen pregnancy rates, suggesting that a multi-faceted approach to drug and sexual education might be more beneficial.