ferno Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 A comprehensive 2006 study conducted by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation found that Drug Control Rooms – supervised clinics where heroin addicts could turn up at any point, day or night, to shoot up – had been a stunning success: places where drug deaths fell to literally one – one! – and levels of HIV infection collapsed from 50% to 2%. Once addicts have a safer, cleaner supply of their drug – where they can, of course, be slowly weaned off it, inch by cautious inch – the need to deal to fund vanishes: the Global Commission on Drug Policy highlighted that under a heroin-prescription policy the number of new users fell by a spectacular 80%, thereby ending the most vicious of vicious cycles. Nurses agree, the police agree, it's a no-brainer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferno Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 Tomorrow's paper: 'War on drugs' has failed, say Latin American leaders. Watershed summit will admit that prohibition has failed, and call for more nuanced and liberalised tactics. A historic meeting of Latin America's leaders, to be attended by Barack Obama, will hear serving heads of state admit that the war on drugs has been a failure and that alternatives to prohibition must now be found. The Summit of the Americas, to be held in Cartagena, Colombia is being seen by foreign policy experts as a watershed moment in the redrafting of global drugs policy in favour of a more nuanced and liberalised approach. Otto Pérez Molina, the president of Guatemala, who as former head of his country's military intelligence service experienced the power of drug cartels at close hand, is pushing his fellow Latin American leaders to use the summit to endorse a new regional security plan that would see an end to prohibition. In the Observer, Pérez Molina writes: "The prohibition paradigm that inspires mainstream global drug policy today is based on a false premise: that global drug markets can be eradicated." http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/apr/07/war-drugs-latin-american-leaders Fernando Henrique Cardoso, former president of Brazil and chairman of the global commission on drug policy, has said it is time for "an open debate on more humane and efficient drug policies", a view shared by George Shultz, the former US secretary of state, and former president Jimmy Carter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happ Hazzard Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 If people have become heroin addicts while living an unemployed/criminal life, it is very hard for them to become productive members of society without kicking the habit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janie48 Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 There are also those that could sustain a heroin habit and lead peaceful, productive and law-abiding lives. I don't doubt there may be a few,as was revealed in your links,however masses of people are damaged from the addiction and need to be cured and rehabilitated don't they? Some may refuse for a time, to admit there is a problem, just as alcoholics do who are in denial. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeadingNorth Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 I don't doubt there may be a few,as was revealed in your links,however masses of people are damaged from the addiction and need to be cured and rehabilitated don't they? The addiction is not nearly as damaging as governments would have you believe; a clean, pure source of heroin, given in measured doses to make sure an addict has enough for his body to survive but not enough to "zonk him out," can keep a man healthily productive for decades. It is only the fact that heroin supply is in the hands of criminals, which causes all the problems we see around us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*_ash_* Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 Another way to reduce drug related crime may be to imprison those convicted of drug offence and ensure they are drug free when released. Isn't that what they are trying now, and doesn't work? After release randomly drug test them and if they are found to have illegal substances in their system send them back to a more severe prison regime. If the answer to the above question is yes (which it is), then this creates a circular effect. The real answer must be to not get addicted Precisely. But since millions get addicted to things that are freely available/and not freely available, then this doesn't happen in real terms. (before you say it, no one has suggested Heroin being available in the shops). Would you be happy about bus drivers, teachers and care assistants etc, being heroin users?? That's quite clearly a loaded question. But since you don't seem to understand, I'll spell it out... It's unacceptable for people to use alcohol whilst conducting these professions. I see no reason why it would be acceptable for a Heroin user to be using whilst doing these jobs either. I'm not sure how many bus drivers, nurses, or care assistants are using alcohol now whilst working, but I suspect it is a low number. I wouldn't be happy about it. Alcohol is freely available too. To add a [slightly less] loaded question back at you... how many bus drivers, nurse or care assistants do you think will be queuing up to ask for Heroin if it was available on the NHS for addicts? Why, if according to you they could "sustain a heroin habit and lead peaceful, productive and law-abiding lives"? You keep making bold statements but then when you're called on them you quickly back-track. As I see it, all the statements I'm seeing are being backed up with evidence, rather than guesswork which seems to be the response from you and spooky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Sleeps Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 Why, if according to you they could "sustain a heroin habit and lead peaceful, productive and law-abiding lives"? You've created a false dichotomy. Either people are: A. Love heroin and want to give it away for free. B. Hate heroin and want it banned. I'd put all sensible people in group C - they see addiction as a terrible thing and wouldn't wish it on anybody, but accept that prohibition is an absolute failure and want to see clean and safe supplies of diamorphine available. It's eminently sensible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spooky3 Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 ... It's unacceptable for people to use alcohol whilst conducting these professions. I see no reason why it would be acceptable for a Heroin user to be using whilst doing these jobs either. I'm not sure how many bus drivers, nurses, or care assistants are using alcohol now whilst working, but I suspect it is a low number. I wouldn't be happy about it. Alcohol is freely available too. To add a [slightly less] loaded question back at you... how many bus drivers, nurse or care assistants do you think will be queuing up to ask for Heroin if it was available on the NHS for addicts? ... The difference is the addictiveness! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonzo77 Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 The difference is the addictiveness! What are you talking about?? That doesn't mean we get heroin addicts driving busses and performing surgery. Say something productive for once will you!! People who are for prohibition always end up twisting the argument. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spooky3 Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 What are you talking about?? That doesn't mean we get heroin addicts driving busses and performing surgery. Say something productive for once will you!! People who are for prohibition always end up twisting the argument. Because they can't take or leave it, that's addiction, but obviously you don't understand that do you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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