Free Heroin Program

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Just over the United States northwest border, addicts will soon be able to get their fix from the Canadian government in the form of free heroin (search) administered by nurses and doctors on the taxpayer's dime.

"They're using heroin. They'll continue to use heroin. What we're trying to do is prevent them from getting something irreversible like HIV, hep [hepatitis] C and overdose death,” said Dr. Martin Schechter, the director of the heroin program.

Vancouver is the first city to take part in the North American Opiate Medication Initiative, which plans to enroll 470 participants at three sites in Canada. The Toronto and Montreal sites are expected to begin recruiting candidates this spring.

Vancouver Police Chief Jamie Graham (search) is among supporters who say the heroin giveaway will let junkies shoot up without having to resort to theft or prostitution to buy their drugs. Breaking that cycle of crime, they argue, is the first step toward turning an addict's life around.

“I’m not a medical expert, this is not my field. I'm an expert in public safety," Graham said. "And if this will help reduce the crime rate — I'm all for it."

In the program all addicts have to do to get their fix is show up three times a day seven days a week.

Junkies offered different views of the program to FOX News. Some think it's the government's way of killing them, while others say they can't wait for the free dope. But none of them thought it would eventually get them clean.

"I think it would lower the crime rate. Nobody's gonna be robbing each other. Nobody's going to be sick enough to rob each other. All be taken care of. Free dope, woo-hoo,” said heroin addict Olivia Edgars.

Recovered addict Chuck Swesey - who's been clean 20 years - says the program smacks of government drug pushing. He says he knows how he would've ended under a program like this: "I'd be dead ... or I'd be in a jail or an institution."

The $8 million Canadian program is patterned after similar efforts in Europe

Do you think it's right to give Junkies more heroin in an inclosed enviroment or is it just a step backwards toward treatment?

...Discuss.

its been said, in some circumstances people are going to do what they are going to do whateer the consequence, much like graff, or speeding in an car. these crackheads are gonna be shooting the herion and pushing the rock on the streets anyway, at least now desparity wont be such a factor,, i can see the crime rate decreasing for sure, good idea vancouver

this won't help anything

I think it will definetely lower crime rate but lookit, if you had a sister or a brother who was a scag junkie would you want him/her to get more heroin in a safe enviroment, or would you want them in a treatment center?

"these crackheads are gonna be shooting the herion..."

hahaha... okay smartguy.. the reason they're making the clinics first of all, is probably so they can be in a room with the nurse or doctor have it administered to them under supervision.. theyre wont be a small suilding and a bunch of addicts lined up waiting for a bag to be given to them.. oh yeah.. and crack and heroin are two waaay different things buddy. well.. unless you mix em up for a superball :p

anyway yeah it sounds like a very good idea.. I can't beleive people could even think of rejecting any form of different ideas when it comes to rehab and decriminalization of street drugs whereas we've had the same policies for so long as we watch crime and poverty go up... shit why not try everything!

I agree we should try new shit, iwe have had the same situation for decades and shit isnt going to change by itself, so i agree with new measures to try to curb the problem that comes with heroin addiction.

my city has a plan in the work to give out 'crack kits'.

it's a bag with a pipe, screens, a disposable lip guard and chapstick.

oh.. plus some info on quitting the stuff.

apparently the crackheads have been burning their lips and HepC has spread to like 90% of the street users.

This is crazy. I'd be psyched about it if I was a heroin user, but I'm not sure what the goal of this program is. I mean are they just going to give them heroin or are they going to try and implement some sort of program to get them off it at the same time? Like counsling, therapy, methadone. Because if you're just giving them heroin, you might as well kill these people. Heroin is an extremely addictive drug and if these people are getting government grade heroin on a regular basis, their tolerance is going to go through the roof and they will definitly start using more and more. Which in turn, will run their pockets dry, which in turn will make some of them become criminals to support their habit.

One thing's for sure, this shit would never go over in the states.

Good call I think the uk should follow suite.

Junkies need to control their addiction thought means and substances if the government had control the drugs industry they could regulate it to prevent problems in society

Why should taxpayers support some low lifes habit? Fuck all those heroin dependant people. Now taxpayers have to pay for stuff for them to inject into their dick?

^As opposed to shelling out for their ER visits and jail time, and the futile fucking drug war???

hell fuckin yes.

besides, we can ALL SEE that THE DRUG WAR IS NOT WORKING.

at least they are trying something else!

I fell not just heroin but most should be taxed and regulated it would be a good thing. It would clean up the most impoverished communities destroyed by drug dealers despite money being pumped in to this comminute to solve their problems peoples lives all ways seem to be dragged down my crack houses and prostitution due to people dependant and force to take such mergers to feed there habits and as a result crime in general would domically decrease as there would no longer be the manipulation of drug dependant people witch as infect would eliminate huge proportions of, pimping, burglary , muggings ,money laundering and general gang activity.This in turn would help and improve taxes, as public services would not be stretched to the limits dealing with the problems caused by the negativity of illegal uncontrolled substances.

I'm going to go up to Canada, I've always wanted to try heroin once.

No, but seriously, the war on drugs doesn't work, and even if this doesn't work at least it was a step in the right direction. None of these drugs are expensive to produce, if governments started manufacturing and selling their own for cheap we'd see a massive downfall in overall criminal problems in a matter of months.

Originally posted by fermentor666@Mar 16 2005, 06:30 PM

This is crazy.  I'd be psyched about it if I was a heroin user, but I'm not sure what the goal of this program is.  I mean are they just going to give them heroin or are they going to try and implement some sort of program to get them off it at the same time?  Like counsling, therapy, methadone.  Because if you're just giving them heroin, you might as well kill these people.  Heroin is an extremely addictive drug and if these people are getting government grade heroin on a regular basis, their tolerance is going to go through the roof and they will definitly start using more and more.  Which in turn, will run their pockets dry, which in turn will make some of them become criminals to support their habit.

 

One thing's for sure, this shit would never go over in the states.

Quoted post

Excuse this particular article, yes they will be giving them counseling among other things. They will also try to get them on methodone programs but at the same time it is a study and results have shown that ofcourse it reduces crime and helps stop spread of HIV/AIDS and other diseases because they are not out on the streets sharing needles and trying to jack people to get their next fix. Heroin is not like other drugs though, it's not like alcohol... You can't say well if this works why not just give alcohol to alky's? Cause the effects are just different. People don't do the things they would do for heroin for other drugs. Crack and Cocaine are different also because you don't inject these drugs, so they don't implement the risk of infection quite as high as Heroin.

I say thumbs up to Canada. This will never fly in the States.. Not in a million years. Our drug policys do more harm than good.

on lowering the crime rate.

of course it will lower the crime rate, if you make it so that something is no longer a crime then that right off elimates a huge problem.

heres my question, and hopefully someone can answer it.

when a drug is legalized, what happens to all the people who are in jail for using that drug? are they released? or do they get held until their sentence is up? what about the dealers?

Originally posted by The Hipster@Mar 16 2005, 11:10 PM

I fell not just heroin but most should be taxed and regulated it would be a good thing. It would clean up the most impoverished communities destroyed by drug dealers despite money being pumped in to this comminute to solve their problems peoples lives all ways seem to be dragged down my crack houses and prostitution due to people dependant and force to take such mergers to feed there habits and as a result crime in general would domically decrease as there would no longer be the manipulation of drug dependant people witch as infect would eliminate huge proportions of, pimping, burglary , muggings ,money laundering and general gang activity.This in turn would help and improve taxes, as public services would not be stretched to the limits dealing with the problems caused by the negativity of illegal uncontrolled substances.

Quoted post

I agree but the UK goverment isnt about to do anything too sensible now are they? But the thing is there are people out there just making money off it because really they dont want to lead a normal working life...... these are the kind of people who would switch to something else once their main source of income has gone.

Originally posted by diggity@Mar 17 2005, 01:31 AM

on lowering the crime rate.

 

of course it will lower the crime rate, if you make it so that something is no longer a crime then that right off elimates a huge problem.

 

heres my question, and hopefully someone can answer it.

when a drug is legalized, what happens to all the people who are in jail for using that drug? are they released? or do they get held until their sentence is up? what about the dealers?

Quoted post

i don't think anything happens to the people in jail, i htink they have to complete their sentencesw.. because it becomes 'decriminalized' but not necessarily legal. i think these countries (switzerland netherlands, canada) are still working out the kinks in terms of what to do after decriminalization, because of course there are still problems associated with drug use, and those governments wanna retain their powers to do something about it.

but really, i don't know.

Originally posted by symbols@Mar 16 2005, 05:18 PM

^As opposed to shelling out for their ER visits and jail time, and the futile fucking drug war???

hell fuckin yes.

 

besides, we can ALL SEE that THE DRUG WAR IS NOT WORKING.

 

at least they are trying something else!

Quoted post

I never said the drug war was working! How about they use the tax money for rehab programs instead of giving them more shit to fuck up their life with.

If you read the replies after yours, they ARE giving counselling and trying to move these people towards methadone programs. It is being done this way as an immediate way of curbing infectious diseases and further harm reduction.

fermentor666: Heroin is an extremely addictive drug

oh yeah, while you were busy reminding us all of the obvious i'm intrigued to wonder if you stopped to think maybe that answers half the questions in your post and any questions that would arise from you lovely array of genius.

"DIGGITY: because it becomes 'decriminalized' but not necessarily legal"

again you guys are missing the point.. that wasnt his question, if it were to become legal, 1st of all... it never has been had it, so how are we supposed to know exactly? second of all.. remind yourself that it is possible for similar situations to have happened in the past.. cough cough PROHIBITION.. you always hear about speakeasys and bootleggers etc.. do you ever remember hearing about the millions of people that got locked up for prohibition getting released the day they abolished the prohibition amendment. no. common sense is rare nowadays... jesus.

simple...

being an addict is a medical and psychological problem.

it should be treated as a criminal problem.

Originally posted by Fryre Dekoy@Mar 17 2005, 02:04 PM

"DIGGITY: because it becomes 'decriminalized' but not necessarily legal"

 

again you guys are missing the point.. that wasnt his question, if it were to become legal, 1st of all... it never has been had it, so how are we supposed to know exactly? second of all.. remind yourself that it is possible for similar situations to have happened in the past.. cough cough PROHIBITION.. you always hear about speakeasys and bootleggers etc.. do you ever remember hearing about the millions of people that got locked up for prohibition getting released the day they abolished the prohibition amendment. no. common sense is rare nowadays... jesus.

Quoted post

whatever dude.

first of all, i researched what happened in foreign countries after decriminalization, and that was the answer i came up with, that nothing happens to the people in jail because they use legalese to get just make it ok, but not necessarily completely legal. i wasn't just pulling that shit out of my ass. there are actual places on earth where it is pretty much legal.

similar situations in the past? i was looking at the PRESENT.

and as far as prisonars released after prohibition ended, YES, IT HAPPENED.

On May 1, 1918, Michigan passed a law calling for full prohibition, that is, the Michigan legislature voted to turn hundreds of thousands of Michigan residents into criminals. However, on February 18, 1919, the Michigan Supreme Court held that law to be unenforcible.

The period of freedom did not last long. Five weeks later, on March 27, 1919, another law making criminals out of ordinary citizens who like to drink was passed. Before it could be overturned, the U.S. Government passed nationwide prohibition, and legalized all alcohol-prohibiting state laws. This state of affairs lasted until 1933, when the U.S. Government, at long last recognizing the connection between high crime rates and prohibition, got out of the alcohol prohibition business and turned the matter over to the states. A state convention was held in 1933, with one delegate from each state house district. They voted 99 to 1 to repeal prohibition.

During prohibition in Michigan (1919-1933) 54,007 people were prosecuted in Michigan state courts for alcohol "crimes," with 36,327 convicted.

One of those was Fred M. Palm, who got life imprisonment for 14 ounces of gin. See 245 Michigan Reports page 396.

Another was Etta Mae Miller, a 48 year old woman with 10 children who got life imprisonment for 2 pints of moonshine whiskey. See 250 Michigan Reports page 72.

In the year following the reinstatement of the right to drink, homicides in Michigan dropped 70%

Originally posted by Fryre Dekoy@Mar 17 2005, 05:59 PM

fermentor666: Heroin is an extremely addictive drug

 

oh yeah, while you were busy reminding us all of the obvious i'm intrigued to wonder if you stopped to think maybe that answers half the questions in your post and any questions that would arise from you lovely array of genius.

Quoted post

No, it didn't. You asshole.

"QUOTE (Fryre Dekoy - Mar 17 2005, 02:04 PM)

QUOTE

"DIGGITY: because it becomes 'decriminalized' but not necessarily legal"

again you guys are missing the point.. that wasnt his question, if it were to become legal, 1st of all... it never has been had it, so how are we supposed to know exactly? second of all.. remind yourself that it is possible for similar situations to have happened in the past.. cough cough PROHIBITION.. you always hear about speakeasys and bootleggers etc.. do you ever remember hearing about the millions of people that got locked up for prohibition getting released the day they abolished the prohibition amendment. no. common sense is rare nowadays... jesus.

whatever dude.

first of all, i researched what happened in foreign countries after decriminalization, and that was the answer i came up with, that nothing happens to the people in jail because they use legalese to get just make it ok, but not necessarily completely legal. i wasn't just pulling that shit out of my ass. there are actual places on earth where it is pretty much legal.

similar situations in the past? i was looking at the PRESENT.

and as far as prisonars released after prohibition ended, YES, IT HAPPENED.

On May 1, 1918, Michigan passed a law calling for full prohibition, that is, the Michigan legislature voted to turn hundreds of thousands of Michigan residents into criminals. However, on February 18, 1919, the Michigan Supreme Court held that law to be unenforcible.

The period of freedom did not last long. Five weeks later, on March 27, 1919, another law making criminals out of ordinary citizens who like to drink was passed. Before it could be overturned, the U.S. Government passed nationwide prohibition, and legalized all alcohol-prohibiting state laws. This state of affairs lasted until 1933, when the U.S. Government, at long last recognizing the connection between high crime rates and prohibition, got out of the alcohol prohibition business and turned the matter over to the states. A state convention was held in 1933, with one delegate from each state house district. They voted 99 to 1 to repeal prohibition.

During prohibition in Michigan (1919-1933) 54,007 people were prosecuted in Michigan state courts for alcohol "crimes," with 36,327 convicted.

One of those was Fred M. Palm, who got life imprisonment for 14 ounces of gin. See 245 Michigan Reports page 396.

Another was Etta Mae Miller, a 48 year old woman with 10 children who got life imprisonment for 2 pints of moonshine whiskey. See 250 Michigan Reports page 72.

In the year following the reinstatement of the right to drink, homicides in Michigan dropped 70%"

now isn't this alot more fun than just pulling random facts and questions out of ALL of our asses during crossfire discussion.. and researching in order to argue points as opposed to flaming.. point has been made, "asshole" mode has been turned off.

i saw a particular segment about how bush was gonna open safe crack houses for base heads to smoke themselves retarded safely. when entering the participant is handed a safty manual on how to smoke "safely" without burning your lips of throat, condoms, brass screens, and a safe sex pamphlet.

The segment was followed by the caster sayin that terrorists were planning to use helicopter tour flights to attack buildings, but "there is no substancial evidence".

Aint that about a bitch

i live in vancouver and i support this, im glad the tests have started. the people who are 20 year junkies wont quit unless they want to. and then they will. its worked in germany, holland, switzerland, and i think some other countries overseas, and i think it will work here. i hope they legalize prostitution as well, and regulate it like the dutch do, and i think the australians may have just done the same? as well as the decriminalization of weed as well. im sure the us will hate us, but its for the greater good.

it sells because its illegal,once its legal there will be no more hype on it..

Originally posted by MaKeItHaPpEn@Mar 23 2005, 06:15 AM

it sells because its illegal,once its legal there will be no more hype on it..

Quoted post

people dont use heroin for the 'hype'.

guidos buy extacy from strippers for the hype.

heroin addiction kills your soul, and there's nothing nice about that.