BBC: Why is heroin killing so many people?

[Some Random Guy]

At 15k each a year iirc.

It estimated that a user not in treatment costs about £26k in crime and disorder. That's not factoring in stuff like increased NHS usage if they catch something that needs a lot of support, social services if there are kids etc.

It's mental.

 

[Sir Lancelot]

They are getting a dose of medical grade heroin daily just by going...at a cost of 15k a year. Plus of course dole money, housing benefit and all.the other miriad of benefits no doubt available
Why should I pull my pods off everyday to pay for those wankers. ...15k is around about what I paid in tax and ni last year. So my contribution to the uk is effectively shot up some druggies arm....maybe cheaper hiring hitmen

Not everyone who is an addict is on benefits. Many hold down professional jobs. I think that you would be surprised if you went to a methadone clinic and saw the range of people attending.

 

[theinediblebulk]

Give them heroin and there will be far less acquisitive crime. No brainer.

The Dutch worked this out back in the 70's. They had a massive heroin problem but instead of taking a condemnation of the individual route and criminalise them, they looked at it correctly as a social problem so decided to leave soft drugs alone, cannabis, and massively target hard drugs. As a part of this policy, they prescribed herion to addicts for a number of reasons.

1) It reduces the amount of money going into criminal hands.
2) It reduced crime.
3) It provides safe drugs and a safe place to take them with access to medical professionals.

And it worked. Numbers of smack heads went down but more importantly, it reduced the ability of the market to find new customers. The war on drugs started before I was born and I've never had a problem buying drugs. How the fuck any one can say 'let's carry on doing the same thing' when it's been such an abject failure baffles me, especially when you have the police saying we need change.

 

[Ambivalent Dave]

They are getting a dose of medical grade heroin daily just by going...at a cost of 15k a year. Plus of course dole money, housing benefit and all.the other miriad of benefits no doubt available
Why should I pull my pods off everyday to pay for those wankers. ...15k is around about what I paid in tax and ni last year. So my contribution to the uk is effectively shot up some druggies arm....maybe cheaper hiring hitmen

It costs less to give them it than the cost of clearing up the mess of them acquiring it on the streets.

Less crime, and less chance of them ODing on it. They're also in a better place to get help to come off it.

 

[pavarotti1980]

Not everyone who is an addict is on benefits. Many hold down professional jobs. I think that you would be surprised if you went to a methadone clinic and saw the range of people attending.

What sort of numbers (%)are you talking about holding down a job?

ps not everyone prescribed methadone actually takes it themselves. They regurgitate and sell on and then use the funds to buy gear

 

[Lonz]

They are getting a dose of medical grade heroin daily just by going...at a cost of 15k a year. Plus of course dole money, housing benefit and all.the other miriad of benefits no doubt available
Why should I pull my pods off everyday to pay for those wankers. ...15k is around about what I paid in tax and ni last year. So my contribution to the uk is effectively shot up some druggies arm....maybe cheaper hiring hitmen

So it would be a good idea to try get them off it then? As I said, most (not all, I agree) don't want to be addicted but find it difficult to get the help they need to do get off it. £15k a year is small fry when you take into account the social and economic costs associated with the problem. See it as an investment. Your contribution to the "druggies" habit is an attempt to improve the costly problem. All other avenues have worked. I can understand why people would automatically have a similar opinion on the matter as you but only before they've really thought about it pragmatically. I don't think you appreciate the vicious cycle that people go through.

 

[Some Random Guy]

I read years ago that the punter was addicted to the rush of getting the money because what they bought was so cut there was virtually no narcotic in it.

That's certainly not the case today, up to 60% heroin in heroin now according to Auntie.

 

[theinediblebulk]

They are getting a dose of medical grade heroin daily just by going...at a cost of 15k a year. Plus of course dole money, housing benefit and all.the other miriad of benefits no doubt available
Why should I pull my pods off everyday to pay for those wankers. ...15k is around about what I paid in tax and ni last year. So my contribution to the uk is effectively shot up some druggies arm....maybe cheaper hiring hitmen

You're right. Fuck them, dirty smack head bastards. Why should we give them any help at all, f***ing wasters that they all are. Well, apart from the ones I worked with in Holland who got heroin prescribed which helped them stabilize their life and actually go to work rather than going out and stealing shit to pay for a bag of crap smack. But yeah, fuck that, let's just live them to sink instead. Fuck helping them, what a waste of time that would be.

 

[Harry Angstrom]

That's certainly not the case today, up to 60% heroin in heroin now according to Auntie.

Well that's a good thing. At least they are being ripped off.

 

[Some Random Guy]

They are getting a dose of medical grade heroin daily just by going...at a cost of 15k a year. Plus of course dole money, housing benefit and all.the other miriad of benefits no doubt available
Why should I pull my pods off everyday to pay for those wankers. ...15k is around about what I paid in tax and ni last year. So my contribution to the uk is effectively shot up some druggies arm....maybe cheaper hiring hitmen

We're already paying 26k a year for crime and disorder. Plus of course dole money, housing benefit and all.the other miriad of benefits no doubt available...

 

[mackemal]

Why not legalise and regulate it? That way you can tax and manage the purity and take the money out of the criminal organisations' hands?


More so than they are now.

Whilst I agree with the sentiment I couldn't see where in the article on the BBC it states Chantal works.
If the heroin in the clinics is not free/prescribed the only people who could afford it would be workers any addict on benefits would surely go for the (presumably cheaper) tax free product from the local dealer.
If these clinics were to be set up in the UK it would have to be accepted that they would provide the drug foc to the user with the overall saving being a reduction in crime etc.

 

[Lonz]

You're right. Fuck them, dirty smack head bastards. Why should we give them any help at all, f***ing wasters that they all are. Well, apart from the ones I worked with in Holland who got heroin prescribed which helped them stabilize their life and actually go to work rather than going out and stealing shit to pay for a bag of crap smack. But yeah, fuck that, let's just live them to sink instead. Fuck helping them, what a waste of time that would be.

Exactly, let's cut our nose off to spite our face.

 

[mackemal]

Why not legalise and regulate it? That way you can tax and manage the purity and take the money out of the criminal organisations' hands?


More so than they are now.

Whilst I agree with the sentiment I couldn't see where in the article on the BBC it states Chantal works.
If the heroin in the clinics is not free/prescribed the only people who could afford it would be workers any addict on benefits would surely go for the (presumably cheaper) tax free product from the local dealer.
If these clinics were to be set up in the UK it would have to be accepted that they would provide the drug foc to the user with the overall saving being a reduction in crime etc.

 

[Harry Angstrom]

We're already paying 26k a year for crime and disorder. Plus of course dole money, housing benefit and all.the other miriad of benefits no doubt available...

may be bring back the death penalty for smackheads. that would save some money and get rid of the problem.

 

[Lonz]

Whilst I agree with the sentiment I couldn't see where in the article on the BBC it states Chantal works.
If the heroin in the clinics is not free/prescribed the only people who could afford it would be workers any addict on benefits would surely go for the (presumably cheaper) tax free product from the local dealer.
If these clinics were to be set up in the UK it would have to be accepted that they would provide the drug foc to the user with the overall saving being a reduction in crime etc.

The taxation comment was more aimed at things like cannabis rather than the harder stuff.

 

[Some Random Guy]

Numbers of smack heads went down but more importantly, it reduced the ability of the market to find new customers. ..

I've just said that nigh on word for word in the office.

may be bring back the death penalty for smackheads. that would save some money and get rid of the problem.

I wouldn't bring back the death penalty for any crime.

If I'm not okay with hanging Dave the baby noncing cannibal I'm not going to be okay with hanging an addict.

 

[mackemal]

The taxation comment was more aimed at things like cannabis rather than the harder stuff.

Fair point about that

 

[Sir Lancelot]

What sort of numbers (%)are you talking about holding down a job?

ps not everyone prescribed methadone actually takes it themselves. They regurgitate and sell on and then use the funds to buy gear

Does it matter?

A good pharmacy always makes sure that the person has swallowed the methadone and offers a drink to wash it down afterwards.

 

[Ambivalent Dave]

Exactly, let's cut our nose off to spite our face.

Its quite the thing in Politics at the moment.

 

[Cockney Mackem]

Give them heroin and there will be far less acquisitive crime. No brainer.

Also, put them in a rehab centre where they may end up doing less drugs, instead of in a prison where they are guaranteed to do more drugs

Does it matter?

A good pharmacy always makes sure that the person has swallowed the methadone and offers a drink to wash it down afterwards.

Like a gin and tonic?