Philly Proud
The last time was in Kensignton was to buy a, probably hot, used bicycle when I was in grad school out of a weird artist space.
Trapped by the ‘Walmart of Heroin’
21–30 of 53 posts
Re: Trapped by the ‘Walmart of Heroin’
#22Earlier quoted context omitted.
Well, maybe not "easily," but I agree. Worth noting that heroin prescriptions have been happening in Switzerland for going on 20 years now, with excellent results.[1] The article was fantastic reporting by the way. Hard to read, but difficult to put down once you start. [1] https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6...
It's becoming a logistical problem in Switzerland to have so little replacement as they've aged. There aren't enough to warrant many centers anymore, but each closing means some would have travel further, possibly dropping out. The US doesn't have to worry about these kinds of problems.. or about who will buy it's newly acquired crop domestically with veterans such as the one in the article coming home with trauma an…
20 years is enough to quit anything. Something here doesn't add up.
Have there been a lot of new heroin users entering this system over the past 20 years? Or have these governments been supporting the drug addiction of a small handful of people who refuse to kick the habit, despite 20 years of therapy?
Also, who fills the prescriptions? Or do the doctors just prescribe whatever the patient can get from a dealer? How does free healthcare the dealer?
GP's great article is paywalled.
Re: Trapped by the ‘Walmart of Heroin’
#23Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's becoming a logistical problem in Switzerland to have so little replacement as they've aged. There aren't enough to warrant many centers anymore, but each closing means some would have travel further, possibly dropping out. The US doesn't have to worry about these kinds of problems.. or about who will buy it's newly acquired crop domestically with veterans such as the one in the article coming home with trauma an…
20 years is enough to quit anything. Something here doesn't add up. Have there been a lot of new heroin users entering this system over the past 20 years? Or have these governments been supporting the drug addiction of a small handful of people who refuse to kick the habit, despite 20 years of therapy? Also, who fills the prescriptions? Or do the doctors just prescribe whatever the patient can get from a dealer? How…
It's not necessarily bad to support the drug addictions of a small handful of people for 20 years.
Some people just suck at life, due to mental illness. They're going to be addicts regardless. It is insanely cheaper to just give them drugs than to close your eyes and let the other costs of them being unpredictable, homeless and sick add up.
Re: Trapped by the ‘Walmart of Heroin’
#24A problem that could easily be solved by simply prescribing them all heroin. This was successful when it was done in the UK ( https://health.spectator.co.uk/the-case-for-prescription-her... ) although of course the government eventually shut it down.
How do you think people would react to a major corporation selling heroin?
Is that going well for the existing companies selling OxyContin?
Is it going well for the people prescribed it, or are they abusing/ODing on that as well?
Re: Trapped by the ‘Walmart of Heroin’
#25Earlier quoted context omitted.
20 years is enough to quit anything. Something here doesn't add up. Have there been a lot of new heroin users entering this system over the past 20 years? Or have these governments been supporting the drug addiction of a small handful of people who refuse to kick the habit, despite 20 years of therapy? Also, who fills the prescriptions? Or do the doctors just prescribe whatever the patient can get from a dealer? How…
It's not necessarily bad to support the drug addictions of a small handful of people for 20 years. Some people just suck at life, due to mental illness. They're going to be addicts regardless. It is insanely cheaper to just give them drugs than to close your eyes and let the other costs of them being unpredictable, homeless and sick add up.
But isn't the point that you require treatment alongside the drug? And yes, supporting addiction over decades is hugely damaging.
Also, please be more empathetic towards your fellow human. Giving up on someone doesn't help.
Re: Trapped by the ‘Walmart of Heroin’
#26Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's becoming a logistical problem in Switzerland to have so little replacement as they've aged. There aren't enough to warrant many centers anymore, but each closing means some would have travel further, possibly dropping out. The US doesn't have to worry about these kinds of problems.. or about who will buy it's newly acquired crop domestically with veterans such as the one in the article coming home with trauma an…
20 years is enough to quit anything. Something here doesn't add up. Have there been a lot of new heroin users entering this system over the past 20 years? Or have these governments been supporting the drug addiction of a small handful of people who refuse to kick the habit, despite 20 years of therapy? Also, who fills the prescriptions? Or do the doctors just prescribe whatever the patient can get from a dealer? How…
Drugs of abuse are incredibly cheap, and doing dope for decades doesn't harm anyone.
You can take solace in the knowledge that these recalcitrant addicts will face eternal torment in Hell for refusing to kick the habit
Re: Trapped by the ‘Walmart of Heroin’
#27Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's not necessarily bad to support the drug addictions of a small handful of people for 20 years. Some people just suck at life, due to mental illness. They're going to be addicts regardless. It is insanely cheaper to just give them drugs than to close your eyes and let the other costs of them being unpredictable, homeless and sick add up.
But isn't the point that you require treatment alongside the drug? And yes, supporting addiction over decades is hugely damaging. Also, please be more empathetic towards your fellow human. Giving up on someone doesn't help.
"Predisposed to addiction" is how we say it in the industry, and it really means "has a shitty life."
The diagnostic criteria for addiction are whether the person can't stop doing the thing despite wanting to, and whether doing the thing causes problems. If they're stable-- whether on or off medication of any kind including opiates-- then the addiction is considered successfully managed.
Also, mental illnesses are never cured. They're managed, and the best possible outcome is stability over a lifetime. Typically stressors induce un-managed relapse, so staying on dope and keeping tolerance stable really is the best outcome for people living in adverse circumstances.
Re: Trapped by the ‘Walmart of Heroin’
#28A problem that could easily be solved by simply prescribing them all heroin. This was successful when it was done in the UK ( https://health.spectator.co.uk/the-case-for-prescription-her... ) although of course the government eventually shut it down.
How do you think people would react to a major corporation selling heroin? Is that going well for the existing companies selling OxyContin? Is it going well for the people prescribed it, or are they abusing/ODing on that as well?
Purdue Pharma is still doing pretty damn well. The problem isn't in using opiates to treat pain - it is Purdue's marketing actively lying about the addiction potential of OxyContin.
Re: Trapped by the ‘Walmart of Heroin’
#29Earlier quoted context omitted.
Not just the UK. Switzerland, Belgium, Germany, Denmark and The Netherlands too. The Netherlands had a very bad heroin epidemic in the 90's which has virtually disappeared thanks to this approach. The two main takeaways in my opinion are: Treat heroin addiction as a health issue instead of a criminal issue and don't just give out heroin, always couple it with social services, treatment, etc. Note that this approach m…
Of course, the one thing that all of those countries have in common is universal healthcare. "Treat addiction as a disease and prescribe heroin for it" doesn't really work so well when the overwhelming majority of addicts most likely don't have insurance or the means to pay for medical treatment out-of-pocket.
They are also all quite small, and much more culturally and ethnically homogenous.
Re: Trapped by the ‘Walmart of Heroin’
#30Earlier quoted context omitted.
But isn't the point that you require treatment alongside the drug? And yes, supporting addiction over decades is hugely damaging. Also, please be more empathetic towards your fellow human. Giving up on someone doesn't help.
"Predisposed to addiction" is how we say it in the industry, and it really means "has a shitty life." The diagnostic criteria for addiction are whether the person can't stop doing the thing despite wanting to, and whether doing the thing causes problems. If they're stable-- whether on or off medication of any kind including opiates-- then the addiction is considered successfully managed. Also, mental illnesses are ne…
So, instead of helping these people with their "predisposition", these countries are helping with their habit. How is this admirable?