Should drug-addicts be prescribed drugs for their addictions?

Answer 1

As you can see, no one can give you any references or details. Most of the people who answer these questions don't have a clue what they are talking about.

No matter what drug treatment method is used, the rate of "cure" (those who remain abstinent) is about five percent per year. That is, about five percent per year will mature out of the problem and simply stop. The only method that works for most drug addicts to stabilize their problem is drug substitution -- giving them another drug in place of their preferred drug -- or giving them their preferred drug. For example, giving them methadone for heroin, or just giving them clean heroin in place of street heroin.

You will get howls of ignorance from people who claim that heroin addicts cannot be productive as long as they are using heroin. The first thing you should know is that heroin is simply another form of ordinary hospital morphine. The only difference between them is that heroin is three times stronger. That is, one grain of heroin equals three grains of morphine. There are literally millions of pain patients in the US who receive morphine on a daily basis and are able to function entirely normally.

In fact, there have been some very famous fully functional heroin addicts. One was Dr. William Stewart Halsted, the "father of modern surgery". Another was Senator Joseph McCarthy, of anti-communist fame. Senator McCarthy got his heroin directly from the head of the US Federal Bureau of Narcotics. You can read about it in the Consumers Union Report on Licit and Illicit Drugs at http://druglibrary.org/schaffer/Library/studies/cu/cumenu.htm See the chapter titled "Some Eminent Narcotics Addicts."

That book also contains a good history of how and why drugs were outlawed in the first place. Before they were outlawed, the drugs were sold over the counter without restrictions. Morphine and cocaine were included in all kinds of common medicines and products. Even under those conditions, rates of addiction were not much different than they are today. The major difference was that drug addicts were not criminals. Most of them lived fairly normal lives and did not commit crimes. Drug-related crime was essentially unknown.

The book also contains a good discussion of the use and effectiveness of prescribed drugs for addiction. The evidence is so clear on that subject that the US Government authorities themselves say that drug substitution is the most effective method of treatment.

The use of heroin maintenance is spreading in Europe because the Swiss have found that it is highly effective. In their program, the majority of the addicts have become gainfully employed and stopped committing crimes. In addition, rates of disease have dropped and overdoses have just about disappeared. Because of their success there are plans to start such a program in Canada.

You can find a description of the heroin maintenance clinics in Liverpool, England at http://druglibrary.org/schaffer/misc/60minliv.htm One of the things they discovered is that street sales of drugs just about disappeared and, therefore, the number of new addicts dropped dramatically.

Don't accept answers from anyone who cannot give you references.

Answer 2

Well, happytalk, this has been a highly debated issue for years. In my opinion, I think the government should legalize drugs. This would take the profit away from the 'makers' and 'dealers.' Crime would decrease immensely. Once the addicts have physicians 'sign 'em up' as being addicts, they should go into rehabilitation RIGHT AWAY. I feel that this would save many lives. I'd venture to say that at least 60% of crime is committed by people on drugs. Darn shame! Any disposition of the issue would be much better than what we have today.

Thanks for a good question!

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAVE A VERY HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON!

HANK (Josh)

Answer 3

Yes, they should. By prescribing drugs, we will be able to gain their trust so they may take advice on other measures to reverse their addiction. The enormous costs jurisdictions now bear and the destruction of lives due to incarceration do not advance the public interest. Prescribing drugs would, conceivably, reduce costs and build the addicts' self esteem.

Answer 4

drug addiction is a disease that can be treated and not always cured. to some extent we provide legal drug access through methadone treatments and the prescription pill industry which is a better option than hustling on the street. however it would be hard to regulate, b/c the pharm industry would become our new "dealers". they would make millions off of drug-addicts and have an incentive to make life-long users out of everyone. the bigger question is, who would pay for this treatment? the government? would tax payers be willing to pay for someone else's addiction?

Answer 5

Heroin addicts do recieve prescribed drugs. Methadone is also a highly addictive drug for use of curing heroin addicts. How many times do heroin addicts using methadone still use heroin? In my experience quite a few. So no we already have proven facts that most of the time it doesn't work.

Answer 6

yes, if it will help them to return to an existence they can live with.

Let me clarify that i am answering the question that was posed;

He didn't ask if I should pay for that prescription, nor did he ask if Tax dollars should be used to pay for that prescription.

Prescription drugs are just that: They are prescribed by a doctor who will monitor it's use. I think that a behavior modification program coupled with some kind of counseling/rehab would be the ideal situation, but sometimes simple substitution also is enough to free someone from addiction. I know this to be true.

Answer 7

NO and to go a bit further , any one caught in possesion of drugs regardless off quantity should be locked up and made to take the lot before they are released

maybe just maybe this will deter the pushers

Answer 8

i think some of them do. sad, but that's the only way to stop the addiction with another prescribed drug.
chin

Answer 9

No they should be locked up in a small dark cell until they no longer need the drugs they are addicted to, this country is too soft on drug addicts and dealers but then that is no surprise as most police officers, politicians, so called celebrities and the nonentities who work in London are all addicts.

Answer 10

We do not need legalized drug addicts. We have a lot of the ones who abuse drugs illegally now.

They need to be forced into a rehabilitation program so they can become a viable asset to society, when they are arrested for drug possession and use.