Nicholas Kristof presents a compelling case for addressing drug addiction through a combination of criminal justice measures and public health initiatives, highlighting the failures of both conservative and liberal approaches. However, he often relies on anecdotal evidence, such as the story of his friend Drew, which somewhat draws his argument toward relying on emotion rather than logic.

1. appeal to pity • Kristof uses multiple tragic examples to evoke feelings of collective loss, grief, and urgency, appealing to readers' emotions rather than purely logical arguments. ​

Drew started using drugs at 12. He stopped going to school and drifted into crime and the drug trade...

...another Yamhill friend of mine with a history of substance use froze to death while homeless in a tent... ​Of the children who rode with me on my old No. 6 school bus in Yamhill, more than one-third are now dead...

While Kristof's use of Drew's and others' stories may serve to establish his personal involvement and familiarity with the subject matter, the vivid descriptions of Drew's dire situation, including his wife's repeated overdoses and their homelessness, go beyond merely establishing context. The emotive language and detailed account of their struggles aim to evoke sympathy and pity from the reader, which is characteristic of an appeal to pity. Therefore, although the author may be sharing his personal connection to the topic, the manner in which he presents this information also functions as an appeal to the reader's emotions.