Canadians love heroin

[bloodzombie]

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory?id=485292

Vancouver is testing a new program where they're actually supplying heroin to hardcore addicts.

Seems crazy, but I have a lot of respect for this Vancouver mayor. He was on the news last night and basically said that what they've been doing isn't working, so they have to try something different.

This would be political suicide in the States. Another example of how much more open-minded canadians are than us.

[Noah]

we need you for a bd, bitchface

[Edify]

i saw this on tv.

[Nickname]

first i've heard of it, but go us anyways.

[Volcs]

I read about it in Time today. I think it's a fantastic idea, and as long as my tax money doesn't go towards it. The way I see it - this is something to be done when you've already solved a shitload of problems. Canada's education system seems a lot more important to me than making sure the heroin addicts don't get aids.

In the article it said that it was being funded by private organizations, but is it also being funded by the government? not to be an ass, but maybe we should consider helping Canadians who haven't fucked themselves over before we go to pulling people out of holes they've dug for themselves.

The good thing about this program is that should it work, it's going to be saving taxpayers money in the long run. Apparently it had very positive results in switzerland, but the circumstances there were very different. Also, it only accepts long time users who have attempted rehab on atleast two occasions. I'm not really sure how I feel, I like the intentions, but it doesn't seem very realistic as of right now...

[bloodzombie]

I think you're missing about 90% of the point volcs.

They were already giving away needles to confront the AIDS issue, it's not really about that, but I think that's a factor. Every time one of these junkies gets AIDS, $150,000 per year of your precious tax dollars are gone.


Crime in vancouver is terrible. Cars get broken into and people get mugged. You say you don't want your tax dollars to pay for it, but the people of vancouver are already paying for it. This is an effort to control the costs. It's not really about helping the junkies, even though they probably say that because it sounds good, it's about making vancouver a better and safer place to live, and, like you said (contradicting what you had said previously), saving tax dollars in the long run.

[Jerome Scuggs]

I ran this debate case under the Mental Health topic (we defined drug addiction as a mental illness). Why doesn't the Canadian government sponser Methadone? It's a heroin substiture, like the Nicorette of druggies.

[Epinephrine]

It's a heroin substiture, like the Nicorette of druggies.

They do, but that's for people who WANT to quit. Safe injection sites are for people who don't want to quit.

[Jerome Scuggs]

They do, but that's for people who WANT to quit. Safe injection sites are for people who don't want to quit.

So is...heroin legal in Canada? Or what?

[Epinephrine]

Er no Methadone is used is what I meant, my quotes screwed up.

[Jerome Scuggs]

Er no Methadone is used is what I meant, my quotes screwed up.

ooh, alright,

Still, if it is virtually identical to heroin...why don't they just make the safe, legal switch

[Horny Elf]

I think you're missing about 90% of the point volcs.

They were already giving away needles to confront the AIDS issue, it's not really about that, but I think that's a factor. Every time one of these junkies gets AIDS, $150,000 per year of your precious tax dollars are gone.


Crime in vancouver is terrible. Cars get broken into and people get mugged. You say you don't want your tax dollars to pay for it, but the people of vancouver are already paying for it. This is an effort to control the costs. It's not really about helping the junkies, even though they probably say that because it sounds good, it's about making vancouver a better and safer place to live, and, like you said (contradicting what you had said previously), saving tax dollars in the long run.

He did indeed miss the point completly.
Anyways, i think its a good idea, but it has alot of issues attached to it. First of all, who should be allowed to get free heroin? Obviously not anybody, so there has to be somekind of limit, lets say, addicted to heroin for atleast 15 years.
Now what will this do to those who have been addicted for 10? Obviously they wont quit because in five years they`ll get it for free!!!11

Another thought was limiting it to how badly your situation was, ie. your father has abused you, your mother is a whore, your children in is jail and the dog is dead. This will again also backfire when all the druggies whos doing "too good" will try to run their lives further down the drain to reach the limit.

And as a last issue, what will the druggies do now that they get their fix for free ? Its not like their addiction is gonna get cured, probably rather the opposite. Maybe theyll start stealing stereos to get fancier clothes, cars and shit, remember these people are already hardcore criminals.

Besides these issues directed at the druggies themselves, its the moral aspects of giving people something thats illegal. NOW EVERYBODY WILL DO HEROINE !"!!1111

Whatever, its obvious that things done before hasnt worked out so its about time somebody tries this. But im not convinced its gonna be an amazing braketrough.

[Volcs]

I think you're missing about 90% of the point volcs.

They were already giving away needles to confront the AIDS issue, it's not really about that, but I think that's a factor. Every time one of these junkies gets AIDS, $150,000 per year of your precious tax dollars are gone.


Crime in vancouver is terrible. Cars get broken into and people get mugged. You say you don't want your tax dollars to pay for it, but the people of vancouver are already paying for it. This is an effort to control the costs. It's not really about helping the junkies, even though they probably say that because it sounds good, it's about making vancouver a better and safer place to live, and, like you said (contradicting what you had said previously), saving tax dollars in the long run.

I've been to Vancouver and drove through that section, we locked our doors.

In the mag they interviewed a woman who had applied, she was prostituting herself, dealing drugs, and resorting to theft to pay for her addiction. It's fucked up and all, but I don't pity these people. I may be an asshole but at least I don't deny it.

What I was saying about tax dollars is that it's going to take a big fund infusion before we'll see results. I don't want to pay that, and I don't think that it's a realistic thing to do right now (assuming the government is contributing). I'm pissed off as it is to have to pay for the other dumb-fuck programs they come up with.
I don't see a contradiction in that.
And I see your point entirely, but the thing I give a shit about is how much the government will contribute for this program. There isn't a big heroin problem in Ottawa, so I'm not really effected. What concerns me, is how I will be effected (Yes, I'm self-centered, but I'm not in denial!!!). If the crime rate here isn't high because of heroin, why would I discuss that? This will be a good thing for Vancouver, and eventually Montreal and Toronto aswell, but it's not directly effecting me.

[Volcs]

He did indeed miss the point completly.

Now what will this do to those who have been addicted for 10? Obviously they wont quit because in five years they`ll get it for free!!!11

Someone didn't read my entire post, but was very quick to judge.

Like I had said: the requirement is to be a long-time addict (by what standards I don't know) and to have at least 2 failed attempts at rehab previously. They want this program to benefit people who want to get away from that lifestyle, not just to give free medical grade drugs away.

[Galleleo]

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory?id=485292

Vancouver is testing a new program where they're actually supplying heroin to hardcore addicts.

Seems crazy, but I have a lot of respect for this Vancouver mayor. He was on the news last night and basically said that what they've been doing isn't working, so they have to try something different.

This would be political suicide in the States. Another example of how much more open-minded canadians are than us.

It's not really new, we have done it already in the Netherlands, and it's quite a succes, less overdosis, it's more controlled (the drugs are still illegal, hardcore drugs that is) but because it's controlled there is less, criminal activities went down. It was a few years ago, I'll see if I can find some stuff on this tommorow.