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You said that legalising drugs would reduce the crime rate and anything that reduces the crime rate is a good thing yes?
Mt reply is htat if you killed all people convicted of crimes, addicts or not, then you would have a 0% reoffending rate and a dramatically reduced crime rate. Does that make it a good idea? No of course it doesn't. See my point?
Doing the things addicts do is criminal. They are criminals in the acts they carry out, simply by buying, using and seeling drugs. Yes it is medical due to biological responses so why are people on here going on about safe heroin and drugs arent bad, and you can't get addicted unless you take it all regulary for months on end? How is that a good message. Your basically saying you won't get addicted when chances are you will.
People get high from drugs, drug produce biological responses that encourge the user to seek them again. So not one line will make you a full blown must have it now addict, but it will open you up to being on. Your body will have experienced the high and you will get a biological response that you want more. The more you take the more chance you become an addict. It works the same with alcohol, food and even sex. And yes there are pyschological issues to it as well. But thats not a catre blance to take drugs and take no responsibility.
Methadone, the drug used to get addicts off of heroin has been made available on prescription in countries, not sure about this ocuntry mind but has there been any dramatcially reduced crime rate? No. It feeds the addiction just the same as giving "safe" heroin would and it makes no difference.
Think of the human cost here. There is a week long programe on addicts on the biography channel. I can't see it coz I don't have that channel but from what I see I doubt the people in that are calling for legalised drugs and drugs aren't that bad.
Drugs are a plight on society and their are no easy answer. Ironically enough, heroin trade was massively effected when the Taliban ruled Afgahnistan, they shut down the poppy fields but were a bad regime to say the least. Now the country is on the democracy track and the people are better off but the drusg trade is back in business for that area. Its not easy.
Oh and I'm 21 jack ass, puberty, been and gone.
That would be true if methadone was like heroin, which it isnt, most users dont like it, it doesnt give them the same experience and its a poor version of heroin. Which is why a lot of methadone users also drink alcohol, take benzo's and use heroin as well.
If you gave them the drug they are actually addicted to, rather than a crap version of it, they wouldnt do this.
The problem with this debate is it polarises people, its the love drugs group vs. the hate drugs group. Both arguments then become totally rubbish.
Drugs are a problem, the law as it stands is not making this problem better (see usage rates, rates of addiction etc.). The question is, no matter how you feel about the drugs in question, where do we go from here?
Experience in Holland, Canada, Spain and other countries suggests that focusing on harm reduction and prescribing does reduce the negative impact upon society.
But they give out methadone now, is that encouraging drug use?
I mean giving out methadone now for treatment and given out heroin for addicts would be viewed totally differently I'd wager.
They may be, but do we want to do whats right and the best solution, or do we want to purely do what the Tabloids think is the best solution?
There wouldnt need to be any big change, just move heroin from schedule 2 to one lower down and then GP's could prescribe it like they now do methadone. Simple really.
So you do think its a good idea? I'm totally at a loss at what your position is.
But what's the difference? By giving any help to addicts you could be seen as saying 'drugs are ok' and I presume you agree needle exchanges are a good idea.
And yes, people may use other drugs, but thats not really the point is it, they wouldn't have to steal or rob for their heroin, something a lot of them have to do now.
And you maybe right, there maybe a small increase in the number of people using heroin, maybe. But I think a huge reduction in the black market, crime, violence, theft etc. is worth that. But you wouldnt see huge numbers of people begging their GP for it, would you try it? Most people just dont fancy the stuff.
heroin used to be prescribed to addicts until the 1960's.
Wasnt methamphetamine prescribed to heroin addicts at one point in the 70's?
No, you're right, I can not be 100% certain, but we all can be 100% certain that the current law isnt working, wont work and is making the situation worse.
But the solutions dont need to be big, the prescribing of heroin would make a massive change, but it would be easy to do, cheap and would only need a very slight change to the law.
Have a read of this, its a government report into how the law is working, I really really recommend you read it;
http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-files/Guardian/documents/2005/07/05/Report.pdf
Yes, but its a holistic approach, you try and get people off heroin, but some dont want to, so its better for them to get their supplies legally.
To be honest even if you did just leave everything else the way it is and prescribed heroin you'd still see a big reduction in crime and death.
fine if used as a reduction method when someone realy realy wants to live drug free ...trouble is few do.
heroin ...you can work hard physicaly and mentaly.
methadone ...you can't..
And how many of us are on tip top form all the time?
your point is?
So someone isnt fully capable all the time, are you fully capable all the time?