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> For those who are addicted (and let's repeat that not everyone who is homeless is an addict, at least not yet) their addiction won't magickally vanish if you

> For those who are addicted (and let's repeat that not everyone who is homeless is an addict, at least not yet) their addiction won't magickally vanish if you don't give them money to spend on drugs. They'll find their drugs anyway. Maybe not with your money, but they won't get any better because you didn't give them money. And they'll probably do something desperate to get it if they don't have money so you're probably protecting them from the worse if you do give them money. I agree but you need to account for both parties involved. Giving money opposed to asking them for what they need and supplying it increases the risk area for harm and it's inevitably a moral burden as well if someone thinks they are fueling addiction when they might not be, it's hard to know. Addiction is a complex problem which can't be solved by a passway. The best they can do is focus on supplies for improvement in qualify of life for the homeless within a reasonable timeframe. Not only improvement in what you eat and self caring products lead to distraction from addiction but helps you stand up. It opens up opportunity to ask about them and give emotional fulfillment as well. Throwing money in a bin or putting it on their hand doesn't which is what most people would do if they were to just give out money. > I sometimes ask people what they need, if they're sitting outside a store. A guy once asked me for a Cadbury's and a bottle of Gatorade. I thought, yech, on both counts and the chocolate is defo unhealthy, but maybe it was a way to combat the cold or get a quick hit of energy? How would I know? I've never sat on my arse on a cold dirty pavement for days. If the folks who do that don't know best what they need, then I certainly don't so I might as well go with what they say. Sure that's a good point and I didn't imply to act like you know what they need. That is more of a quality issue. Giving money is unknowingly restricting and letting their mindset dictate short term benefit over long term. They may try to get a cheaper unhealthy chocolate due to dollar difference or thought of saving up.

YeGoblynQueenne 7y ago
Thinking of what I wrote about the guy who wanted the chocoloate and the gatorade later, I realise that there's another reason he might have asked for chocolate, and that's mental health. Sometimes, what you really need to have is what you want, because it will make you feel better. Like, emotionally "feel". Anyway I dont' agree with you, still. There's so many things that people can do with money that isn't getting high. If I buy someone a meal from outside I can only buy something ready-made (a sandwich or a kebab etc). That's not very healthy. Maybe if enough people give them money they can find a place to stay for a while (or a good Samarithan can pay for a night's stay at a motel) or they can buy something to cook and go to a friend's place to cook it and have a proper meal. I really don't think that the majority of homeless in my area are addicts. They mostly seem like people down on their luck. It's so easy to end up on the streets these days, especially in the bloody UK where social nets are threadabare and being torn apart constantly. Then of course once you're on the streets it is so easy to start drinking or shooting to "get by". Like you say addiction a complex problem but I don't accept that giving money makes it worse or doesn't help those who suffer from it. If I'm wrong, I hope I find out soon.
- thrwaway69 7y ago
  There is no absolute, I never meant to imply that. What I really advocate against is throwing money in the bin without asking what they need and if that's food, get them high quality food. If that's money for x, help them out with money. Really though, asking part and having a conservation is more important. I was giving addiction as merely an example because I thought people here would relate to it more. I didn't mean to imply all homeless people are addicted. It depends on your location. If they tell you the money is needed for supplying their addiction, you don't stop and move on. No, you ask about it more and if there is a chance, you can get them help at an addiction centre. I am not a medical expert that can judge whether the drugs will have a therapeutic or negative effect on them. If I was, I might help them out with drugs. This is why you need free [1][2]drug maintenance centres where they can safely get quality drugs and fight against their addiction. Here, the homeless kids will ask you for money and if you give them that, it won't help them. It will go towards funding a business that relies on exploiting, kidnapping and disabling kids to beg in the streets. They won't get any high quality food from it or nice comfy blanket. Giving money opposed to asking them for what they need and supplying it increases the risk area for harm and it's inevitably a moral burden as well if someone thinks they are fueling addiction when they might not be, it's hard to know It's a two way transaction. I wouldn't wanna encourage child exploitation business and if I unknowingly did it, that might stop me from getting involved next time. Both people need a satisfactory result. Sitting with the kid while they finish eating meal and playing with toys I brought is a better outcome than uncertainty. Giving money is unknowingly restricting You might handout 20 bucks but the supplies they should get may cost a dollar over it. They would be forced to get cheaper one which may or may not be up to the standards. People are not good at estimating how much they would need upfront. It's not something limited to homeless people. Sorry, if I implied that. Taking out bigger action like opening a charity and build awareness regarding the problem is better but not always an immediate option, sadly. 1] https://vancouver.ca/people-programs/four-pillars-drug-strategy.aspx https://vancouver.ca/people-programs/four-pillars-drug-strat... 2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2219559/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2219559/

YeGoblynQueenne 7y ago

Thinking of what I wrote about the guy who wanted the chocoloate and the gatorade later, I realise that there's another reason he might have asked for chocolate, and that's mental health. Sometimes, what you really need to have is what you want, because it will make you feel better. Like, emotionally "feel". Anyway I dont' agree with you, still. There's so many things that people can do with money that isn't getting high. If I buy someone a meal from outside I can only buy something ready-made (a sandwich or a kebab etc). That's not very healthy. Maybe if enough people give them money they can find a place to stay for a while (or a good Samarithan can pay for a night's stay at a motel) or they can buy something to cook and go to a friend's place to cook it and have a proper meal. I really don't think that the majority of homeless in my area are addicts. They mostly seem like people down on their luck. It's so easy to end up on the streets these days, especially in the bloody UK where social nets are threadabare and being torn apart constantly. Then of course once you're on the streets it is so easy to start drinking or shooting to "get by". Like you say addiction a complex problem but I don't accept that giving money makes it worse or doesn't help those who suffer from it. If I'm wrong, I hope I find out soon.

thrwaway69 7y ago
There is no absolute, I never meant to imply that. What I really advocate against is throwing money in the bin without asking what they need and if that's food, get them high quality food. If that's money for x, help them out with money. Really though, asking part and having a conservation is more important. I was giving addiction as merely an example because I thought people here would relate to it more. I didn't mean to imply all homeless people are addicted. It depends on your location. If they tell you the money is needed for supplying their addiction, you don't stop and move on. No, you ask about it more and if there is a chance, you can get them help at an addiction centre. I am not a medical expert that can judge whether the drugs will have a therapeutic or negative effect on them. If I was, I might help them out with drugs. This is why you need free [1][2]drug maintenance centres where they can safely get quality drugs and fight against their addiction. Here, the homeless kids will ask you for money and if you give them that, it won't help them. It will go towards funding a business that relies on exploiting, kidnapping and disabling kids to beg in the streets. They won't get any high quality food from it or nice comfy blanket. Giving money opposed to asking them for what they need and supplying it increases the risk area for harm and it's inevitably a moral burden as well if someone thinks they are fueling addiction when they might not be, it's hard to know It's a two way transaction. I wouldn't wanna encourage child exploitation business and if I unknowingly did it, that might stop me from getting involved next time. Both people need a satisfactory result. Sitting with the kid while they finish eating meal and playing with toys I brought is a better outcome than uncertainty. Giving money is unknowingly restricting You might handout 20 bucks but the supplies they should get may cost a dollar over it. They would be forced to get cheaper one which may or may not be up to the standards. People are not good at estimating how much they would need upfront. It's not something limited to homeless people. Sorry, if I implied that. Taking out bigger action like opening a charity and build awareness regarding the problem is better but not always an immediate option, sadly. 1] https://vancouver.ca/people-programs/four-pillars-drug-strategy.aspx https://vancouver.ca/people-programs/four-pillars-drug-strat... 2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2219559/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2219559/