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What if the US had a system wherein drug addicts would register, and get their drugs for free (or at very low prices, administered by professionals)? Just take

What if the US had a system wherein drug addicts would register, and get their drugs for free (or at very low prices, administered by professionals)? Just take away the middlemen, and provide the drugs in safe, controlled, monitored sites. No questions asked: as long as you are over 21 and can prove a need, you can get a card. Just walk in, get your fix, and either walk out (or lay down right there). Once you have people in this system, then you can work on them to get them off the drugs.

refurb 6y ago
Not the exact same, but Vancouver is piloting something like this. You get evaluated by a doctor and if you're addicted and have fentanyl in your system (at high risk of OD), they will prescribe you hydromorphone (which is a very cherished street drug). There is a "vending machine" where you can put in your credentials and out pops your dose. You can do it as often as you want, but there is a minimum time between doses.[1] [1]https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vancouver-drug-dispensing-machine-opioids-overdoses-1.5429704 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vancouver-dr...
loxs 6y ago
That won't happen soon, as there are too many people in the US government whose salary depends on this not happening.
alecco 6y ago
In European countries doing this the biggest opponents are families of addicts. This is basically a death sentence. It's society finally turning its back on them. I believe it's the right approach in the long run, but in the short run you get emotional appeals and weak politicians.
- apexalpha 6y ago
  Could you point me to some reading material on this? Because we have these schemes in the Netherlands. Opiod addicts can get their fix from municipality health centres, alcoholic homeless people can clean up parks in exchange for beer, it seems to work very well. If you take away 'the game' of acquiring your next fix and give people structure it seems to set them up better to drop the dependancy all together.
- DanBC 6y ago
  It doesn't have to be society turning its back, because you can provide other health care (mental health, skin integrity, sexual health, etc) to people in those settings, alongside social work.
- 1024core 6y ago
  I disagree. Letting addicts lie on the street and sell their bodies for their next fix is the real death sentence. Once you have addicts in this system, you can manage them and work with them to get them out of their addiction. 50 years of a punitive policy have shown that punishment does. not. work.
eru 6y ago
No need to hand out the drugs for free. Just legalising would be enough.

refurb 6y ago

Not the exact same, but Vancouver is piloting something like this. You get evaluated by a doctor and if you're addicted and have fentanyl in your system (at high risk of OD), they will prescribe you hydromorphone (which is a very cherished street drug). There is a "vending machine" where you can put in your credentials and out pops your dose. You can do it as often as you want, but there is a minimum time between doses.[1] [1]https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vancouver-drug-dispensing-machine-opioids-overdoses-1.5429704 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vancouver-dr...

loxs 6y ago

That won't happen soon, as there are too many people in the US government whose salary depends on this not happening.

alecco 6y ago

In European countries doing this the biggest opponents are families of addicts. This is basically a death sentence. It's society finally turning its back on them. I believe it's the right approach in the long run, but in the short run you get emotional appeals and weak politicians.

apexalpha 6y ago
Could you point me to some reading material on this? Because we have these schemes in the Netherlands. Opiod addicts can get their fix from municipality health centres, alcoholic homeless people can clean up parks in exchange for beer, it seems to work very well. If you take away 'the game' of acquiring your next fix and give people structure it seems to set them up better to drop the dependancy all together.
DanBC 6y ago
It doesn't have to be society turning its back, because you can provide other health care (mental health, skin integrity, sexual health, etc) to people in those settings, alongside social work.
1024core 6y ago
I disagree. Letting addicts lie on the street and sell their bodies for their next fix is the real death sentence. Once you have addicts in this system, you can manage them and work with them to get them out of their addiction. 50 years of a punitive policy have shown that punishment does. not. work.

eru 6y ago

No need to hand out the drugs for free. Just legalising would be enough.