Visit the Ironworks Gaming Website Email the Webmaster Graphics Library Rules and Regulations Help Support Ironworks Forum with a Donation to Keep us Online - We rely totally on Donations from members Donation goal Meter

Ironworks Gaming Radio

Ironworks Gaming Forum

Go Back   Ironworks Gaming Forum > Ironworks Gaming Forums > General Discussion

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 08-16-2006, 09:45 PM   #1
VulcanRider
Lord Soth
 

Join Date: July 25, 2002
Location: Melbourne FL
Age: 59
Posts: 1,971
Some friends & I were talking about drug use, treatment vs. punishment. One guy said

"In England, I believe a person can be declared a legal drug addict, and purchase medical grade heroin through medical supervision. Each one is registered, known, and can purchase a predictable product that can be delivered in much safer ways. The prices are low enough to really defeat the purpose of street sales, people aren't robbing, burglarizing, and preying on people at cash machines to support their habits. IIRC, almost all of these people produce a reliable, predictable income, and pay taxes."

Apparently the theory was drug use causes health problems because of the impurities (talcum powder, ground glass, etc) used to cut the stuff. Medical grade drugs can be taken in smaller, safer doses, leaving a productive citizen with a manageable problem. I've never heard of this. True? Anybody know anything about it? I'm looking for statistics on crime or health care, or documented case studies that would shed light on this. Working/not working? Does the program still exist? Opinions welcome...
__________________

-----
Help feed animals in shelters with just a mouse click at The Animal Rescue Site !!
VulcanRider is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2006, 10:04 PM   #2
Seraph
Quintesson
 

Join Date: September 12, 2001
Location: Ewing, NJ
Age: 42
Posts: 1,079
I don't know about England, but the Swiss tried something like that starting in 1994, and the Dutch did something similar pretty recently.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/1727532.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4607233.stm
Seraph is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-17-2006, 08:43 AM   #3
johnny
40th Level Warrior
 
Ms Pacman Champion
Join Date: April 15, 2002
Location: Utrecht The Netherlands
Age: 58
Posts: 16,981
The authorities here supply the worst cases of drug addicts with their much needed shot of heroin, or methadon, whichever they need most. Here in Utrecht for instance there's a bus, called the methadon bus, which comes to a certain spot somewhere near central station, where the junkies can collect their dose, get clean injection needles while deposing their old used ones. They're using this system for quite a few years now, and it helps preventing smaller crimes, such as shoplifting and stickups. every little bit helps i suppose. They're going after their supply regardless, at least now they don't have to rob someone to get it.
__________________
johnny is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-17-2006, 10:19 AM   #4
shamrock_uk
Dracolich
 

Join Date: January 24, 2004
Location: UK
Age: 40
Posts: 3,092
Yes, heroin addicts can get methadone here as part of their treatment, usually along with counselling/support etc.

However, the quoted paragraph makes it sound like Britain is a utopia of modern drug treatment ideas - in truth it's a horrible mismash of inconsistent policies, ineffective implementation and has no discernable impact upon drug use.

A quick google turned up this link which may or may not be informative.

[ 08-17-2006, 10:23 AM: Message edited by: shamrock_uk ]
shamrock_uk is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-25-2006, 10:27 PM   #5
wellard
Dracolisk
 

Join Date: November 1, 2002
Location: Australia ..... G\'day!
Posts: 6,123
There is a similar thing happening in kings cross Sydney. The junkies shoot up in a building surrounded by "proper Christians" whom are on hand to call for medical backup and who supply clean needles etc but not the drug (sadly). Since the Medically Supervised Injecting Centre opened people can now walk the area without tripping over OD dead bodies and into the piles of HIV infested needles that used to line the street. Also the group that run the building are on hand to gain the trust/ respect of the junkie and be there to offer counseling or treatment should it be called for.

I wish they would do more of this but the right wing oppositon party says it will close the centre if it wins the next election.
__________________


fossils - natures way of laughing at creationists for over 3 billion years
wellard is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-25-2006, 11:33 PM   #6
johnny
40th Level Warrior
 
Ms Pacman Champion
Join Date: April 15, 2002
Location: Utrecht The Netherlands
Age: 58
Posts: 16,981
Proper Christians...what the hell does that mean anyway ? Personally i don't think junkies/christians is the right combination, it's bound to end up in all sorts of meaningless conflicts.
__________________
johnny is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-26-2006, 10:21 AM   #7
VulcanRider
Lord Soth
 

Join Date: July 25, 2002
Location: Melbourne FL
Age: 59
Posts: 1,971
Quote:
Originally posted by wellard:
There is a similar thing happening in kings cross Sydney. The junkies shoot up in a building surrounded by "proper Christians" whom are on hand to call for medical backup and who supply clean needles etc but not the drug (sadly). Since the Medically Supervised Injecting Centre opened people can now walk the area without tripping over OD dead bodies and into the piles of HIV infested needles that used to line the street. Also the group that run the building are on hand to gain the trust/ respect of the junkie and be there to offer counseling or treatment should it be called for.

I wish they would do more of this but the right wing oppositon party says it will close the centre if it wins the next election.
So is this a government sponsored program or is it run by a church?
__________________

-----
Help feed animals in shelters with just a mouse click at The Animal Rescue Site !!
VulcanRider is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-28-2006, 12:15 AM   #8
wellard
Dracolisk
 

Join Date: November 1, 2002
Location: Australia ..... G\'day!
Posts: 6,123
What I mean (sorry for the ugly terminology) is that it is a church run center, by people who believe in helping struggling people rather than just point fingers and condemn them from the safety of the pews.

I use the term to describe people or organizations like the Salvation Army or the like, Christians who act rather than just pray.

Bottom line is that it is a huge success, all the local buisness and residents are happier though they where against it at first.
__________________


fossils - natures way of laughing at creationists for over 3 billion years
wellard is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-28-2006, 12:16 AM   #9
wellard
Dracolisk
 

Join Date: November 1, 2002
Location: Australia ..... G\'day!
Posts: 6,123
http://www.sydneymsic.com/

http://www.unsw.edu.au/news/pad/medi...ng_Centre.html


There is increasing support amongst the residents and business owners of Kings Cross for the Medically Supervised Injecting Centre (MSIC), according to a report by the National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research (NCHECR) at the University of New South Wales (UNSW). The report was commissioned by the NSW Department of Health.

Over two-thirds (68%) of business operators agreed with the establishment of a MSIC in Kings Cross, which is up from 58% before the service opened and 63% in 2002.

Eighty percent of residents who have been living in the area for more than five years agreed with the establishment of the Centre, which is up from 78 percent in 2002 and 75 percent in 2000.

[ 08-28-2006, 12:20 AM: Message edited by: wellard ]
__________________


fossils - natures way of laughing at creationists for over 3 billion years
wellard is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-28-2006, 01:59 PM   #10
Timber Loftis
40th Level Warrior
 

Join Date: July 11, 2002
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 11,916
Drugs are supposed to be bad for you. They're supposed to kill you. That's why we can argue that members of society shouldn't do them. Taking away the risks removes a great deal of the reason not to do them.

And, a government program means my taxes are paying for their drug use.
__________________
Timber Loftis is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Little Britain Kestrel Daystar Entertainment (Movies, TV Shows and Books/Comics) 12 01-27-2005 05:54 PM
For those is Britain... Mojo General Discussion 5 03-18-2003 02:44 PM
Madman's Discussion on Drug Use (NO GLORIFYING DRUG USE HERE) Madman-Rogovich General Conversation Archives (11/2000 - 01/2005) 135 07-16-2002 12:56 PM
A question for anybody from England or Britain Nanaki3 General Conversation Archives (11/2000 - 01/2005) 10 05-16-2002 06:12 PM
Thank you Britain! Absynthe General Conversation Archives (11/2000 - 01/2005) 26 09-14-2001 05:08 PM


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 03:41 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.3
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
©2024 Ironworks Gaming & ©2024 The Great Escape Studios TM - All Rights Reserved