Should drug addicts be punished or treated?

Question

I refer to heroin and crack (etc) users. Do you view them as a blight on society and the users not neccesarily punished, but given a boot up the backside, or should they be better understood and treated?

Put simply, do we need to be more or less tolerant of these people?

Answer 1

Overallless tolerant. BOOT up the backside. BUT I also think WE as in soceity should educate ALL of the kids in school and make sure they understand that drugs such as heroin ARE FIRST time addicting. And make sure they see the life they will live (IF they live) if they get into it.

Answer 2

Treated, but only to a limit. If the addict backslides time after time, then punishment, and getting them away from the rest of us, is the best thing. But do you mean "users" or "addicts"? You used both. A user is not always an addict, even those who use heroin or crack. However, I do believe that demand is the whole drug problem, not supply. Keep people from wanting/needing to use drugs and there will be no need for supply. Put the drug-dealers out of work. Don't use!

Answer 3

Treated.
Getting off heroin (or crack) is only 10% of the problem, 90% of the problem is STAYING off it.

Often drug problems are swept under the carpet, Heroin addiction in the UK has reached epidemic proportions with younger addicts, I have seen one who is just 11 and another who is 13.

I do know from experience, as I spent 6 months voluntary at a Rehab centre on the needle exchange programme for college.

It broke my heart to see these young teenagers with no hope.

No one grows up thinking *I want to be a Heroin addict when I grow up*.

Answer 4

I think drug addicts should be treated not punished for using drugs.
Why? Because punishment doesn't cure addiction.
Now, however, I do believe that treatment should include incarceration for a period of time necessary to get away from the old crowd and allow time to heal the body of substances that cause the craving for the drug. I believe the treatment method should be available for volunteers with drug addiction to volunteer admission into a treatment center.
People who break the law under the influence of drugs should be punished within the fullest extent of the law.

Answer 5

Treated

Answer 6

I think it goes a lot deeper than most people know. Most of these unfortunate people have underlying undiagnosed medical conditions such as ADD, chemical imbalances in the brain, and are self-medicating themselves. This is why after "treatment", 90% of them eventually go back to using drugs!! These people need more than just simple treatment for the addiction, but most of all their condition needs to be properly identified, diagnosed, and give them the proper medication to correct it. They also need rehab to overcome the psychological habits they have developed, and not to be overlooked, they desperately need education and training to better their lives. In short, they need HELP, not stigma!! Punishment only worsens their problems!

Answer 7

Treated

Answer 8

I would offer them the best treatment known to man, no matter what the cost........ONCE!
Some people don't want to be helped, so if they don't make appropriate use of the service all benefits should be stopped and if they steal to feed their habit it would be 3 strikes and you're out.
Sounds costly, but it would save billions in the long run. I would also argue for sterilisation in these cases.

Answer 9

Both, in my opinion. What they are doing to themselves or selling to other people is harmful to themselves and the popualtion, not to mention future generations. But we should also treat them so that they have a second chance. But no more then two chances. If they need to keep rethinking the drug addiction when it's over because we helped them and they still continue, they shouldn't be treated for harming our popualtion over and over...

Answer 10

Both... drug addiction is the result of a weak character, not necessarily a criminal offense. The trouble is that drug addiction usually ends up creating criminal behavior, even in those who have money to support their habits (e.g. Robert Downey Jr.) They shouldn't just be thrown into prison, but they shouldn't be molly-coddled either.