Germany Approves Prescribing Heroin to Long-time Users Unable to Quit

The German Parliament today approved a new law that will allow doctors to prescribe synthetic heroin to people with long-term drug addictions in an effort to reduce crime, overdose deaths and the spread of HIV.

The new law allows people over 23 who have used heroin or other opioid drugs illegally for more than five years -- and have failed at other rehab programs -- to receive pharmaceutical heroin in specialized treatment centers. The legislation follows a pilot project conducted in seven German cites between 2002 and 2006 that proved successful in reducing crime, HIV and overdose fatalities among people who had failed in previous efforts to quit heroin.

The German results were consistent with those of similar projects in Canada, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Last year Switzerland similarly legalized heroin prescription in a public referendum.

Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance issued this statement:

The success of the German heroin prescription projects, combined with similar results in other countries, leaves little question that heroin prescription could reduce crime, HIV and overdose fatalities in the United States as well. And today's vote in Germany, combined with similar evidence of public support in other countries shows that the public will support even controversial drug policies when they are given a chance to prove themselves.

There is no question that heroin prescription programs are needed and long overdue in this country. All that stands in the way is politics and the backward assumption that it can never happen in the United States.

Comments

[MSNichols]

Other parts of the world begin taking positive steps forward and the U.S. spins it's wheels.

I applaud this program. Maybe with some care, clean "medication" and needles, peoples lives can be gradually restored instead of the constant searching and crime the search for the next fix causes.

Recognizing addiction as a disease instead of a criminal problem would go so far in resolving SO many problems.

[pakaal]

One of founders of Johns Hopkins (Dr. William Stuart Halstead) was a lifelong addict, first to cocaine, then morphine. For those unable to quit (for whatever reason), establishing a way of controlling the craving is essential, and without it, people who can otherwise maintain a stable (if not brilliant like Halstead) career, family life, etc.

[EgyptianMysterySchool]

Now we've reached the circular conclusion to the war on drugs - the start and the finish - pharmaceutical companies eliminating competition.

[dildeaux]

Well said.

[GreatNews27]

In the U.S. morality demands these people live in agony and die in disgrace. One nation, under Gawd.

[SiberianRat]

Yep. These people are sick and we should be compassionate. I had a friend who was a promising architect and got hooked and willingly let his life slip away because of his addiction. We cannot try to apply egotistical unempathetic morality to something we cannot understand. This move by Germany is called dealing with reality instead of living in a fantasy world--we should try it sometime in the US.

[DroBuddy]

What?! I'm all for this... Right on Germany. But, this just goes to show how ****ed up American Drug Policies are; instead of being a Social Health problem, all drugs are a criminal problem. I can't even smoke Herb in my own home; but, if I immigrate to Germany I can do synthetic 'ron all day long (well, if I had a problem, that is)!

Too bad Germany isn't the World Leader for Drug Policy... Nope, has to be the darn U.S. of AmeriKKKa - Where our motto has become, "The Land Where You Are Free to be a Conformist!" or, alternately, "Only One God, One Nation, One Government­... And, One Sense of Morality".

[arvay]

Decriminalization of all drugs would put a stop to all the madness, and instantly bankrupt the crime lords and Taliban.

Standing in the way: "moralists" and law enforcement people who would be jobless, plus all those politicians bought off with drug money.

[Samalabear]

Exactly, because addicts will get their drugs somehow, whether legal or not. It is the way it is. Why not make it safer for the rest of us. I do a lot of drug cases in legal transcription, but it's mostly pleas and sentences. I'll still be able to earn a living -- if I keep doing this -- in corporations battling each other over all sorts of stuff, wealthy divorced couples duking it out to the last penny as they destroy the kids in the middle, and just maybe I will get new cases that involve the white-collar crooks that we can now concentrate law enforcement on.

[RoseMerry]

The Dutch have such a storage of crime, they most CLOSE prisons. Guess what country constants fights to deal with overcrowded prisons? You will find it north of Mexico and south of Canada. I hope you can find it!