smiles 0 #1 January 31, 2005 What do you think about heroin trails that are aimed toward facilitating the research needed to implement an effective alternative regulated treatment option for heroin addicts?? Quote NAOMI estimates there are between 60,000 and 90,000 opiate-addicted people in Canada. About 4,000 addicts live in the 15-square-block Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, B.C. The area has one of the highest HIV infection rates in the world. Under the trial program -- to be funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal -- 470 addicts would be prescribed up to 1,000 milligrams of heroin and/or unlimited methadone per day. A clinic providing free heroin to Vancouver addicts will be recruiting 158 people for a study to see if prescribing the drug can improve their lives. The clinic now has an official site on the Downtown Eastside. A safe injection site for intravenous drug users opened in the area last year as part of the city's approach to addiction treatment. The trial is to determine if prescribed pharmaceutical grade heroin -- in tandem with methadone treatment -- is more effective than methadone alone in treating certain opiate-addicted people. A control group will be given the medically available hydromorphone, a medically available opioid. Will hard core heroin addicts benefit from a heroin maintenance program? Will it reduced the amount of criminal activity taking place? Will it improve peoples' health status? Will it allow people to go back to work, find jobs, be in better housing and basically put their lives together?? SMiles I choose rather admit that I know what little I know, and confess that I do not know that which I do not know, for that is the beginning of knowledge. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WrongWay 0 #2 January 31, 2005 That's an interesting idea....but say it out loud...."give heroin to heroin addicts"......hmmmm..... I think it's the same argument as legalizing marijuana, that if you make it legal there will be less criminal activity,etc etc etc.....but dude, really, this is HEROIN. Good intentions....not so good idea in my opinion. Stick with methodone. Wrong Way D #27371 Mal Manera Rodriguez Cajun Chicken Ø Hellfish #451 The wiser wolf prevails. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BGill 0 #3 January 31, 2005 i believe they ran a similar program in australia and it worked quite well. cant really remember where or any info like that, but for some reason that sounds familiar. i think its a great idea keeping everything regulated like that. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Remster 30 #4 January 31, 2005 Better fit for this in Speaker's.Remster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dougiefresh 0 #5 January 31, 2005 This might work for some addicts who really are willing to do everything in their power to get well. But the nature of addiction is that you want your drug all the time. Giving an alcoholic one beer is tantamount to giving them 10 gallons of vodka, because either way they're going to seek out enough to satisfy their craving. And if someone really wants to get well badly enough, they'll find the resources on their own (AA, etc.) and stick to the program.Addiction recovery has to come from within the addict. There is no such thing as "regulating" addiction. As far as preventing the spread of HIV, you can give out clean needles without heroin in them. Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. --Douglas Adams Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vmsfreaky1 0 #6 January 31, 2005 Hi, QuoteWill hard core heroin addicts benefit from a heroin maintenance program? Yes, absolutely. I have anecdotal evidence that giving medical grade heroin to addicts has even helped them recover completely. QuoteWill it reduced the amount of criminal activity taking place? Yes it will, i think its common sense if you think about it. there would be no reason for an addict to hustle when they get the good stuff for free under a socialist health system. QuoteWill it improve peoples' health status? Yes, like i said anecdotal evidence suggests so, my mum treated many addicts in the UK when it was being given out for free in the sixties, she saw a great improvement in health and sometimes a full recovery. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vmsfreaky1 0 #7 January 31, 2005 Quotei believe they ran a similar program in australia Nearly right, Australia had injecting rooms run by a few churches in the red light disctrict of sydney, its hard to tell what it really did other than provide a clean safe place to inject, they did save a few from OD but thats about it, there was no free heroin. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
smiles 0 #8 January 31, 2005 QuoteYes, absolutely. I have anecdotal evidence that giving medical grade heroin to addicts has even helped them recover completely. It is great to hear positive feedback about recovering heroin addicts. Your Mom must be a "sweetheart" Quoteaddicts in the UK when it was being given out for free in the sixties Did that program continue? Still being used now in the UK?? How did the program work, giving medical grade heroin for free? Was the amount reduced slowly, or the times given reduced? Was methadone or hydromorphine used in combination with medical grade heroin? Were there trained people to do follow ups on addicts and research? Was the program done in a "closed" environment or "open" re: drop in to a center while living on the street or live right in a recovery rehabilitation center?? I would think so much would also depend on the kind of support in place, for addicts that had stabilized/recovered. SMiles Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vmsfreaky1 0 #9 March 9, 2005 QuoteDid that program continue? Still being used now in the UK?? nope, im not sure when it was stopped, I'll have to ask my darling mother QuoteHow did the program work, giving medical grade heroin for free? Was the amount reduced slowly, or the times given reduced? Was methadone or hydromorphine used in combination with medical grade heroin? Were there trained people to do follow ups on addicts and research? Was the program done in a "closed" environment or "open" re: drop in to a center while living on the street or live right in a recovery rehabilitation center?? I would think so much would also depend on the kind of support in place, for addicts that had stabilized/recovered. From what i understood, the people were patients in a hospital (inpatients) and the heroin was administered by nurses with a decreasing dose over time. I'm not aware of any other drugs being used i.e methadone. Also not too sure about the support they received during and after. Sorry. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
