Ireland announced its plans to permit some consumption of heroin. This plan would establish "medically supervised injecting facilities," or shooting galleries, where heroin addicts would be able to take their drugs using clean equipment and under doctor supervision. These facilities would reduce the harm caused by heroin, including high crime rates and addiction.
Seven countries in Europe, Australia and Canada all already run shooting galleries and have all seen a reduction in health risks to those who are hooked on heroin. At these facilities, authorities are given the opportunity to encourage addicts into treatment. Contrary to popular worry, these galleries have not encouraged more people to use heroin. The only downside is that drug-takers using the galleries must bring their own heroin, so the drugs consumed are illegal and still pose a risk as they may be impure or unusually strong. Additionally, many addicts rob, burgle, and sell their bodies to pay for their habit.
The heroin market is worth more than $50 billion a year worldwide and remains in the hands of criminals. The article suggests that the state should take over the market itself. This would mean rationed, state-sanctioned prescriptions of heroin and the undermining dealers of illegal drugs. The most difficult task would be convincing voters to finance such a system.
http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21677641-beat-scourge-heroin-governments-should-deal-drug-themselves-how-smack-it-down?fsrc=scn%2Ftw%2Fte%2Fpe%2Fed%2Fhowtosmackitdown
6 comments:
This is really, really interesting to me. I understand the legalization of marijuana, because there are some health benefits. But heroin? There are obviously no health benefits. But if Ireland has such an issue with addiction, it makes sense to have safe places for addicts to go. I'm curious to see how this works in Ireland. The US is having major issues with heroin, just look at Marion County. If this works, I wonder if the US would adopt a similar policy to combat drug addictions.
I just don't see how making it "safer" (relatively speaking) to consumer an illegal, dangerous, and highly addictive substance will help reduce the number of addicts. Wouldn't this lead addicts into a false sense of security by thinking since a doctor is administering it to them, then it must be safe and OK to do? I can just see this, sometime in the future, turning really bad, and then governments receiving less support from the public. Also, starting a program like this is something that would hard go through Congress with ease. Another thing, wouldn't this be as if the government is encouraging addicts to keep purchasing illegal substances?
Although a very controversial idea, I believe this is a great way to keep addicts safe and move them towards rehab. There are however, a few discrepancies I have with the business plan. First off being that those at the facilities should be required to use slightly decreased doses as they attend so that they can ease out of their addiction. I realize that this would deter addicts, but my next point will attract them. The galleries should also provide the heroin, and in different strength's according to the addiction of the addict. The key here is that the galleries, will provide it. This is important because by doing this the gallery would be limiting drug trafficking, and also attracting addicts because the heroin or other drugs are free.
I am having trouble seeing how this could be a good idea because heroin is one of the worst drugs that someone could be addicted to. Facilitating that, as well as illegal activity is just creating more problems that will need solutions. Like Emily said above, heroin has no health benefits compared to the argument for the legalization of marijuana.
I see both positive and negative aspects to this strategy, but what is alarming is how if the government was to take over the industry, they in theory would have to deal heroin to first time users; however the government permits the sale of cigarettes which is known to give you cancer, so where do you draw the line. I know that's a drastic comparison but the numbers speak for themselves in relation to deaths caused by each.
My understanding is that setting up this galleries would allow professionals - doctors, psychiatrists, therapists, other authorities - the room to encourage addicts to drop their habit and provide them the resources to do that. Often times addicts don't have the support necessary to quit such an addictive drug, nor do they know where to find the resources to do so. This environment would be giving them a safe and comfortable space to rehabilitate. In states that have implemented these programs there was no increase in the amount of heroin users, but there was a decrease in crime rates. So it does not appear that the galleries incentivize more people to use heroin. The article does suggest that they start prescribing heroin to their customers, and I imagine that there would be several qualifications, guidelines and restrictions that would need to be figured out in order for that to be an effective strategy. It would, however, cut off the black market and would put control of the use of the drug in the hands of the government. I think there's a lot more that goes into the logic behind the galleries and I would love to look further into it.
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