Thread: Prescribed Heroin?

I saw a program on channel 4 I think it was tonight about how it could be a good idea to prescribe heroin to addicts, thus letting them lead a more normal life and not have to commit crimes to finance their addiction.
This policy has been used in the Netherlands and in Switzerland and has succeeded in cutting the number of drug addicts greatly (I forget the exact number).
This way, the heroin distributed would also be proper, medical heroin, made safely, instead of bought third hand from street dealers. Addicts would be at much less risk from AIDS, as they would be provided with safe syringes.

All this seems to say that it would be a good idea to prescribe heroin to addicts who can't quit, but what are your views?
I don't really know what to think... it seems wrong for the government to go around handing out heroin, but the alternatives are crime and AIDS, then I suppose it's the right thing to do

Based on my own first hand experiences with heroin addicts, I really believe that the illegality of heroin makes things much worse. I think we should just legalize it and let the addicts destroy themselves in peace. The only alternative is to let them destroy themselves and everybody around them, which is the situation illegality creates. Full blown legalization would result in the same benefits that would result from putting government resources into the prescription program.

They already do. Heroin addicts often get prescribed methadone, which is less deadly (i think), but just as addictive.

Oh yeah. A heroin addict does just about anything to get a shot of heroin. Like steal, rob and sell themselves. I am pretty certain those people actually don't even Want to do all those things, but they just can't help themselves.

Thus, just give heroin to every junkie who would otherwise rob. But it would be good to only give it to them, after they tried stopping, with professional help.

Also, I am guessing it is working in the Netherlands, because I heard heroin addicts here are a dying breed.

before they do anything with heroin addicts they need to save the government some trouble and legalize weed.

Aren't percocets in the same family as Heroin?

I am kinda on both sides here. I think they should make all drugs rules the same as drinking and the like. Not legalizing it just fills up our prisons with helpless addicts who would rather of gotten it legaly if it were possible. And that is a waste of taxes as stuff.

I dont do any drugs though. I know what drugs will do to me. That is the only thing i dont like about the idea. Who is going to teach all the children about the harmful effects of these drugs when they are legalized?

Take for example, meth. What if things like meth were legalized? That would make them easy to get. Some kid ends up finding some and trys it. and what happens? he gets the biggest high you could ever get. I hear its like, 5 times greater than sex. But it comes at a price. Not only can he become addicted, but meth destroys the part of your brain that releases endorfines. The things that make you happy. He wont be able to be happy again, unless he takes more meth. Nobody told this poor kid about what meth did, if sombody told him he would never be able to feel happy again if he took it, im pretty sure he would have not even gone near the stuff. I know i wouldnt.

But who's job is it going to be to inform all these kids about the drugs? parents? they cant be forced. Schools? they dont do a good job either. I actually paid attention in health class and didnt learn any of this stuff their :p That is the only reason why i wouldnt want it to be legalized. If they could find a way to inform everyone of the risks, then it would be a great idea.

I, for one, never quite understood the logic behind making drugs illegal just because they're bad for you. It would be pretty naive to think that's the case, especially with the tobacco and alcohol industries running the show .

Originally Posted by Lord Toaster

I saw a program on channel 4 I think it was tonight about how it could be a good idea to prescribe heroin to addicts, thus letting them lead a more normal life and not have to commit crimes to finance their addiction.
This policy has been used in the Netherlands and in Switzerland and has succeeded in cutting the number of drug addicts greatly (I forget the exact number).

Has it? Seems like I'm not really well informed
Afaik, there is something for heroin addicts who want to quit, or who are supervised by professional help, and I think that they get their drug (I think it's the same thing for other "hard" drugs as well) prescribed... However, I'm not really up to date, has someone found new information about that?

I, personally, think that prescribing an illegal drug makes it legal in a way. I mean why should a state make rules to break them on its own? Literally, it doesn't make a lot of sense.
On the other hand, for addicts who want to quit it's maybe a good idea to prescribe the drug, reduce the amount continuously and on the same time to supervise the process of quitting (which might be very hard for addicts who need to do it on their own)

it's sort of a dilemma...