Heroin, the scourge of society, how do we fix it?

I live 'downtown' so I know all the local heroin addicts and alcoholics. I always stop and talk, especially to the ones I've watched growing up.
I bumped into a mother and daughter couple in a back alley today. In a previous career life the mother was a client of mine and I knew then that her daughter would end up on the same path, she is. It's tragic because she's the same age as my own son and by the twists of fate her life is the complete opposite of my son's.

Anyway, I stopped and chatted as I always do, asked daughter why she's limping, turns out she's been injecting in her legs, had abscesses as a result and a couple have burst. She's had treatment from the NHS of course but the root cause of her problems, her addiction to heroin, is largely untreated. Finished our chat, gave them both a can of beer from my shopping because they were rattling, held her hand gently to say goodbye and she kissed my hand saying thank you for being me.

It breaks my heart seeing people with little to no help in breaking their addiction. I know some people will say 'They have to want to stop' or 'They should take responsibility' but it ain't that easy. My son was in town with his girlfriend the other day and stopped to talk to the girl mentioned above. GF asked him 'why the # are you talking to that skanky smackhead?' and they ended up arguing when he got cross with her for dehumanising someone who had a crappy start in life compared to them.

I don't know the answers, I wish I did, but I'd pay more taxes if it was diverted solely for addiction service and rehab units. All my mates agree the same. Police don't even arrest addicts for personal possession anymore, it's pointless, they get a lame fine and if they even get 28 days jail time, drugs are still available in prison.

All thoughts welcome, and if it is a different drug addiction in your area please do share your experiences, this isn't just about heroin, I used it because it is the damaging drug here in the UK.

a reply to: CornishCeltGuy
It is their bodies.
They should have the right to do with them as they please.

a reply to: CornishCeltGuy

I think a good start would be to stop calling any opiate "pain killers". Then as a society we need to realize doctors aren't here to kill or suppress our pain, but help us manage it.

I've looked for the stat and haven't been able to find one, but from personal experience in my area, I'd say the vast majority of abusers started their journey with a prescription from an injury or surgery. They get over prescribed, and then when its out, its out. There isn't much of a ween down or an eye kept on people who have been on these pills for weeks or months. Keep in mind it doesn't take long to become physically dependent on them.

originally posted by: butcherguy
a reply to: CornishCeltGuy
It is their bodies.
They should have the right to do with them as they please.

I agree completely, and they do have the right in an unofficial way, but both I spoke to today would love to kick their habit, just aren't strong enough to do so. Young Toni sells her body to raise funds, she gets abused and exploited, she wishes she wasn't an addict. It breaks my heart, which is why I always give her love, compassion, and time to talk to someone safe. I nearly cried when she kissed the back of my hand as we held hands to say goodbye.

a reply to: CriticalStinker

Interesting thoughts
You have to be in agony to get opiate drugs off the NHS, they are really controlled here.
Most opiate addiction in the UK is illegal heroin.

Give addicts all the heroin they want, for free.

The problem will soon solve itself.

The problem isn't so much letting people ruin their lives. People do that all the time by just making bad decisions about ordinary things like who they should date or marry. Everyone needs to run their own lives, and not tell other people what to do, even if they think it's in their best interests.

The problem is when it starts bleeding over into other people's lives or general society. And then all the drug taking / addiction arguments come into play. I personally think that with a drug like heroin people should be provided all the heroin they want free from the government. That way they're not robbing little old ladies to get their fix. And if the addicts die in the process, well, that's too bad but at least they're not wrecking other people's lives while they're at it.

I would also imagine a place where these addicts can go -- like an old army base or something -- to get a bed to sleep in, food, and some minimal medical care. All the free drugs you want, but you have to stay on the base. If you can pass drug tests as clean for three months in a row, in a place where your drugs are free, then you can leave.

It would be a lot cheaper than trying to stop people from doing something they really want to do. Like my favorite comedian, Doug Stanhope says, "There's no such thing as addiction, only things you like more than life."

a reply to: CornishCeltGuy

Drug addiction is a hard thing to deal with. I dunno what answers there are but sadly that saying about people wanting to change is unfortunately true. You can give someone a job, a place to live, all the help and support they need and it'll do nothing if they don't want to stop what they're doing. Honestly, that's not just with dealing with drugs but anything. People won't change the things they do without really wanting to no matter how bad things are or how good you can help somebody make things. Even if you give them everything they need and want to make their lives better without somekind of will and desire to change it won't amount to anything except #ing your life up too.

Legalize lower strength and natural opiates (OTC codeine, be able to grow your own poppies, Kratom etc), stop filling up our prisons with drug users by decriminalizing drug possession, and offer free easily available treatment for everyone who wants to get off of opiates.

People that want to use heroin, oxycodone, oxymorphone, and other high strength opiates need to be assigned a doctor that oversees their use and take a mandatory education course on the dangers and the safe ways to use these substances.

Anything less than that won’t make a dent, and in reality will only make things worse.

That’s how you fix it. A common sense approach emphasizing education over punishment.

And I just want to add, heroin is only a scourge because we made it that way. Doubling down on bad ideas for decades leads us to where we are right now.

originally posted by: CornishCeltGuy
I live 'downtown' so I know all the local heroin addicts and alcoholics. I always stop and talk, especially to the ones I've watched growing up.
I bumped into a mother and daughter couple in a back alley today. In a previous career life the mother was a client of mine and I knew then that her daughter would end up on the same path, she is. It's tragic because she's the same age as my own son and by the twists of fate her life is the complete opposite of my son's.

Anyway, I stopped and chatted as I always do, asked daughter why she's limping, turns out she's been injecting in her legs, had abscesses as a result and a couple have burst. She's had treatment from the NHS of course but the root cause of her problems, her addiction to heroin, is largely untreated. Finished our chat, gave them both a can of beer from my shopping because they were rattling, held her hand gently to say goodbye and she kissed my hand saying thank you for being me.

It breaks my heart seeing people with little to no help in breaking their addiction. I know some people will say 'They have to want to stop' or 'They should take responsibility' but it ain't that easy. My son was in town with his girlfriend the other day and stopped to talk to the girl mentioned above. She asked him 'why the # are you talking to that skanky smackhead?' and they ended up arguing when he got cross with her for dehumanising someone who had a crappy start in life compared to them.

I don't know the answers, I wish I did, but I'd pay more taxes if it was diverted solely for addiction service and rehab units. All my mates agree the same. Police don't even arrest addicts for personal possession anymore, it's pointless, they get a lame fine and if they even get 28 days jail time, drugs are still available in prison.

All thoughts welcome, and if it is a different drug addiction in your area please do share your experiences, this isn't just about heroin, I used it because it is the damaging drug here in the UK.

They are literally everywhere. Seems likely practically every corner has some drugged out heroin addict on it in my parts. They are like zombies. They stand on a street corner begging for money and as soon as they get enough to run off to shoot up.

I have mixed feelings. Part of my has empathy, but the other part of me just loathes them. We had an OD in the restroom of our public library (in the kid's section no less). I can't take my kids to the public park without finding their paraphernalia in the restrooms or on the playground somewhere.

I don't think there is really a civilized solution. I do think drugs should be legal so that we can get rid of the violence/crime that is associated with drug use, but I also think we need to take a tougher stance on addicts forcing rehab.

The reality is we are always going to have some people who are just weak and turn to drug use for whatever reason. I do think the Feds needs to be investigating the pharma companies and finding out why this is such an epidemic. I kind of think there is some smoking gun kind of like with cigarettes back in the day being covered up.

a reply to: CornishCeltGuy

Make it legal!
Stop judging, start helping

The Heroin is just a symptom of a much deeper problem. IMO they need to know and be showned that people love and care for them. So the fact that you stop and talk to them about their life and problems, without judging them, but just treat them as "normal" people, is properly some of the best help you can give They will let you know if you can do anything to help them, thats what friends do, but you have to be their friend first

There is an addiction worse than heroin though, one that will give you complete control and power!
But it is a very dangerous drug, and once you get used to it, it is VERY VERY hard to let the addiction go again.
It is a bad drug, cause it doesnt only affect the user, but the whole world (that is the complete control and power effect)
This drug is called money
And when you control the money, you control the world. That control is almost impossible to let go of again, and it will end up controlling you in the end. This is a very real and very seriously problem and the whole world seems to be infected! I estimate that about 1% of the population, is hit real hard by this addiction and are in risk of destroying everything we build on this planet and the life on it, if something is not done.
That is the addiction you all should be talking about

By "we" I assume you are talking about government? I do not think any laws will stop this. There are support groups and rehabs ran by groups and churches. Some free. But the addict would have to want to go for help in the first place.

It may also take some kamikaze style drug enforcement by individual citizens. That's drastic and will be painful but may make a small dent. But if it saves someone's kid from getting it, so be it.

originally posted by: CornishCeltGuy
a reply to: CriticalStinker

Interesting thoughts

You have to be in agony to get opiate drugs off the NHS, they are really controlled here.
Most opiate addiction in the UK is illegal heroin.

Sounds smarter than just handing someone with a broken bone one of the most addictive drugs on the planet and saying good luck.

Things that you are going to heal from relatively soon doesn't constitute being handed that stuff. If they are mitigating the pain to much, you can further your injury by not taking it easy anyways.

originally posted by: CornishCeltGuy
She's had treatment from the NHS of course but the root cause of her problems, her addiction to heroin, is largely untreated.

For a lot of them its the domain of psychology where the root cause of getting into such drugs is to be found.

originally posted by: Blue Shift
The problem isn't so much letting people ruin their lives. People do that all the time by just making bad decisions about ordinary things like who they should date or marry. Everyone needs to run their own lives, and not tell other people what to do, even if they think it's in their best interests.

The problem is when it starts bleeding over into other people's lives or general society. And then all the drug taking / addiction arguments come into play. I personally think that with a drug like heroin people should be provided all the heroin they want free from the government. That way they're not robbing little old ladies to get their fix. And if the addicts die in the process, well, that's too bad but at least they're not wrecking other people's lives while they're at it.

I would also imagine a place where these addicts can go -- like an old army base or something -- to get a bed to sleep in, food, and some minimal medical care. All the free drugs you want, but you have to stay on the base. If you can pass drug tests as clean for three months in a row, in a place where your drugs are free, then you can leave.

It would be a lot cheaper than trying to stop people from doing something they really want to do. Like my favorite comedian, Doug Stanhope says, "There's no such thing as addiction, only things you like more than life."

Radical idea but I massively agree

Produce a spore or virus that destroys every poppy plant on earth.

Wrong thread !

a reply to: CornishCeltGuy

First and foremost, the U.S. government needs to stop producing, protecting, and importing the majority of the heroin that makes it to our streets from Afghanistan. This is a well documented fact.

Second, provide a national, subsidized program to safely detox addicts and provide support to help integrate them back into society as a whole. That would be an excellent start.

Just my two cents.

originally posted by: Sillyolme
Produce a spore or virus that destroys every poppy plant on earth.

Synthetic chemical variants would then take over. Addict will always find their numbing drug unfortunately, and people will exploit them selling it to them.
I was chatting to a pot dealer the other day and he hates the smack dealers, reckons harming fellow humans with such an addictive and destroying drug is horrible. I agreed.