At the National Rx Drug Abuse and Heroin Summit in Atlanta, President Obama spoke about the problem of drug addiction in this country and the need for a change in perspective when it comes to addressing it. On Tuesday, the White House released a corresponding plan of action to “fight heroin addiction and prescription-drug abuse” with a proposed budget of $1.1 billion to aid the fight. Perhaps the most important takeaway from the president’s goals is the emphasis on viewing drug addiction as an issue of public health, not criminal justice.

This revision in attitude will prove pivotal in countering the epidemic of drug addiction in this country, which is not limited to the demographic that comes to mind first when speaking about the rise of drug addiction. It is not an issue that solely affects impoverished minorities. The number of first-time heroin users has risen dramatically with “90 percent of these first-time users [being] white.” This is an important distinction to make because combating the rise of drug addiction also means combating the stereotypes and misconceptions surrounding it as well.

Drug addiction is not a black and white issue, nor is it an issue defined by the delineation between innocent and guilty. However, that has long been the status quo. The result is that this country has “incarcerated a generation rather than giving them the treatment they needed.” Rather than trying to address the litany of contributing factors that result in individuals turning to drugs and thus unable to fully contribute to society in the manner deemed appropriate, this country adopted an end of pipe solution of ostracization and punishment.

It would appear as though the president has acknowledged that this mentality was not and is not a viable one. The system put in place to combat drug addiction has only served to perpetuate it. That said, it should also be evident that is not an issue that the president can hope to remedy on his own. The deciding factor will be whether the American people will continue to settle for trying to keep the problem out of sight or actually putting in place policy that would rectify the root causes.

Our prisons are big, but they aren’t that big. They are not big enough to house all those in need of treatment and those who will be in need of treatment in the future. Furthermore, that shouldn’t be the goal. Our aim should not be to sweep those in need of treatment for drug addiction under the rug because it is easier than providing the necessary assistance. The conversation needs to change. Those suffering from drug addiction deserve more than to be labeled junkies and cast aside. They deserve treatment, and we as a population need to decide if we are going to actively help them receive it. The president has done what he can to further the cause. It will be on us to see it through.