Switzerland approves presciption heroin?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7757050.stm







Swiss voters have approved a radical health policy that offers prescription heroin to addicts on a permanent basis.

Final results from the national referendum showed 68% of voters supported the plan.

The scheme, allowing addicts to inject the drug under medical

supervision at a clinic, began in Zurich 14 years ago before spreading

across the country.

But in another referendum vote, 63% of voters rejected the decriminalisation of cannabis.

E SF

The heroin vote was one of a series of referendums held to decide policy on illegal drugs.







S IBOX





o.gif








SWISS HEROIN PROGRAMME











Running since 1994

Used by 1,300 addicts

Includes 23 centres nationwide

Also offers psychiatric counseling







inline_dashed_line.gif






S ILIN Radical Swiss plan

E ILIN











E IBOX





Under the scheme, addicts visit clinics up to twice a day, where

they inject the drug under medical supervision. They can also be

treated for other medical issues or mental health problems, out

correspondent says.

The policy is described as one of last resort - prescribing

addicts with the very drug that caused their problems in the first

place - but supporters say it works, and Swiss voters appear to have

agreed, the BBC's Imogen Foulkes in Berne says.

Switzerland will be the first country to include it in government policy.

Supporters say it has had positive results - getting long-term

addicts out of Switzerland's once notorious "needle parks" and reducing

drug-related crime."

haha you would think one of the prettyest safest countrues in the world wouldnt be chocked full of heroin addicts. but this sure will bankrupt the heroin dealers, and broke heroin dealers wont be able to buy guns or even have a reason to, because they cant compete, so i guess its pretty reasonable.

also funny to me is that out of european countries only iceland italy spain and greece ban the sale of over the counter opiates. iceland has defaulted, italy and spain are in danger of defaulting, and greece wiill eventually default in my opinion. germany, the netherlands and the uk also have heroin assisted treatment in place, and germany and the netherlands are going to be footing most of the bill for greeces bailout! haha http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codeine

ron paul seems to know whats up apparently
 
yeah switzerland is one of the prettyest safest countries on earth. theyve been doing this since 94 too. if youve been to ch its awesome. i was there the other summer and some group of guys on the street handed me a tallboy, just out of like generosity or something. maybe he was rolling or something. either way ch is the shit.
 
Did you know that when heroin was made it was used as a cold medicine for children. Bayer, (or whatever company makes advil and shit) actually had "Heroin" as a trademarked name. SUNDAY FUNDAY FACT!
 
makes sense. everyone does the same with nicotine to help control and eventually abolish the craving. it's done with vaccinations to help immunize against viruses. why not more serious drugs too? it's proven that taking something in gradually smaller and smaller doses helps with addiction problems so you may as well..
 
Need countrys like these to make ballsy moves. These countries will hopefully find a solution or atleast cut these problems done. UK just does stupid shit like "lets crack down on it" making it in the long run worse.
 
how are users supposed to kick their habit when their government condones their behavior?

i agree with the rehab over severe punishment but at some point you have to stop using drugs if you want to live. this is especially true with H

 
I remember hearing about something similar in Vancouver. We opened a few free, clean places for heroin addicts to come in and inject themselves each day but I can't remember what happened in the whole deal. I think one of the big downfalls is that they weren't offering many ways to get off the drug, they were just offering it cleanly. I have the article somewhere, I'll find it later. Personally I think its a great more getting things done idea.
 
actually i didnt check the date, this was from 2008, ive been all over switzerland since, and its safer than you could imagine, the people are nicer than you could imagine, and theres never been any crime in ch before or after this measure. its still paradise in short. if anybody has been there since youlll know. ameaca has its head so far up its ass i can still hear it talking.
 
its safer because the heroin isn't on the streets. you go to the clinic, get a large enough dose to function, and go on with your day. people aren't drugged out everywhere. It pretty much completely solves all the problems with drug addiction other than the health of specific people who are killing themselves with it.
 
it doesnt affect their health. the heroin they give them is 100 percent pure just like any other painkiller they would give you iv in a hospital.
 
true dat. i am sure they would like to have everybody clean, but thats obviously not working, so they find a solution to stop all the negative external effects of drug use. probably cheaper than upkeeping extra police patrols and special drug forces too.
 
100% this. But it will be an interesting case study.

on another note, Switzerland is a pretty damn tolerant country. First hitler, now heroin.
 
Back
Top