Brazil: Crack Cocaine Program Gets $2 Billion Investment

BRASILIA, Brazil -- The Brazilian government says it will invest more than $2 billion to curb the spread of crack cocaine in Latin America's biggest country.

The Health Ministry says the government will invest 4 billion reals ($2.2 billion) in the program. That includes creation of a public health network focused on treating drug users.

The ministry's statement on Wednesday says that more than 300 medical offices will be set up to provide health care in urban areas with large numbers of drug users. Nearly 600 temporary shelters will be built to monitor the recovery of addicts.

The number of police officers patrolling high-consumption areas will be expanded and efforts to identify and arrest traffickers will be redoubled.

Comments

[milehimystre]

06:49 PM on 01/16/2012

It costs the average American citizen around $31,000 to lock up their countrymen. The majority of which are addicts (alcohol being a drug). If this country were to use any kind of common sense, which it obviously does not have given the fact that there are 2.3 million American Citizens incarcerated in local, state, and federal prisons, it would utilize resources in a manner such as this, it could and would easily cut down on rates and costs of incarceration, get more people clean, off the streets, out of misery, and end the reign of terror being perpetrated by the true terrorists of the 21st century: Prison profiteers, drug cartels, politicians who know no shame, and a police state which does not recognize anything in the Constitution of 'We the People' of the United States of America

[Hetneo]

05:44 AM on 12/08/2011

Why is this controversial program?

[KadyFox]

03:17 AM on 12/08/2011

The link said this program was "controversial". Why? It sounds like they are trying a new approach to the problem. I hope it works.

[qsfoxx]

02:33 AM on 12/08/2011

Those who 'flunk out' of rehab should be given the option of residency in a special reservation where they would be given all the crack they might wish to use - with the only stipulation being that they must remain there until they either kick the habit or get carried out in a wooden box.

[KadyFox]

03:19 AM on 12/08/2011

Sounds pretty hard core. You either really want to quit, or you want to die. The choice is up to the addict. Either way, it would work.

[Robert Sprenkle]

12:59 AM on 12/08/2011

Sounds like Brazil finally realized that the War on Drugs is a waste of resources. Money is better spent on drug treatment & healthcare than on the incarceration method. It worked for Portugal and someday the rest of the world will realize a forty year you haven't won is not really winnable.

[MikeMcQuade]

12:00 AM on 12/08/2011

Please Blame this On BUSH !!!

[ahnree]

10:58 PM on 12/07/2011

just legalize all the drugs. this will weed out the crooks. if people want to use them go ahead, its there body and life. society will discriminate those who use.

[spiderhole]

01:06 AM on 12/08/2011

Your healthcare should be cutoff so you can self-medicate with crack.

[cgala]

10:53 PM on 12/07/2011

someone needs to tell the brazilians that you cant fight a $100 billion dollar industry with $2 billion.the americans tried it and failed miserably

[charles singley]

08:49 PM on 12/07/2011

These are the kind of drugs that destroy, include prescription drugs and alcohol. Pot is nothing like these. If it were in the peoples hands we could use some of the revenue to combat and help stop this here before we look like there. Brazil was a nice place, once upon a time.

[dew1500]

08:08 PM on 12/07/2011

I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. How much are we kicking in?

[vietnamvet1967]

09:28 PM on 12/07/2011

Now what Obama offer something or start our own program, He needs the votes, however crack heads do not vote or coke heads, they are busy stealing or robbing people to get there fix

[belldn3]

07:39 PM on 12/07/2011

I think that money would be more wisely spent else where. Did they really have to show someone laid-out in the street while talking about crack-cocaine? That's someone's dad, brother, son, etc.

[ccsysglf]

07:11 PM on 12/07/2011

we got government cheese! they get government crack?

[Realrelief01]

07:07 PM on 12/07/2011

They must have run out of Obama stimulas money.

[vietnamvet1967]

09:28 PM on 12/07/2011

Obam acalled and said MORE COMING

[Scott Moguns]

05:32 PM on 12/07/2011

They are trying to get ready for the Olympics and it is going to take more than money to clean that country up. That is like saying they are going to us money to stop all force labor in the country of Congo!!!
IT AIN'T GOING TO HELP!

[ArchaeologicallyInclined]

05:18 PM on 12/07/2011

Hopefully this will help the thousands of strung-out Brazilian children hooked on crack. I was there a few years ago and it was devastating seeing 18 yo boys who I had thought were 10, because their growth was stunted from being hooked on crack at such a young age. Its rampant down there, especially in Salvador Bahia.