Canadian government legalizes prescription heroin

[rubecube]

Tip of the cap to Trudeau for this one.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...iption-heroin/

OTTAWA — The Canadian government has quietly approved new drug regulations that will permit doctors to prescribe pharmaceutical-grade heroin to treat severe addicts who have not responded to more conventional approaches.

The move means that Crosstown, a trail-blazing clinic in Vancouver, will be able to expand its special heroin-maintenance program, in which addicts come in as many as three times a day and receive prescribed injections of legally obtained heroin from a nurse free. The program is the only one of its kind in Canada and the United States but is similar to the approach taken in eight European countries.

The move by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government last week is another step in reversing the policies of the previous government, run by Conservatives, and taking a less draconian approach to the fight against addiction and drug abuse.

And here's the CPC still not getting that the War on Drugs has been an abject failure.

Colin Carrie, a Conservative member of Parliament and the party's spokesman on health policy, said his party remains adamantly opposed to the use of prescription heroin as a treatment option for addicts. "Our policy is to take heroin out of the hands of addicts and not put it in their arms."

[Huntingwhale]

Good. That quote by Carrie just goes to show how incredibly out of touch the Conservatives are with the realities of addiction. Good on the Liberals for doing this.

[Azure]

Worth the try.

[btimbit]

That Carrie quote should end with "mmkay"

[corporatejay]

Doesn't sound like a good idea but people far more experienced and educated than me think it's a good idea so totally worth a try. I hope it is successful.

[Thor]

Carrie's comment just makes me quite angry, clearly she has no clue what the on the ground situation is with these addicts and what the medical and law enforcement community are dealing with.

So she just towe's some simplistic, stupid statement that makes her feel superior while ignoring the reality of the problem. Fk her.

[Mr.Coffee]

Not like much else is working, might as well try it.

[The Fonz]

Originally Posted by Thor

Carrie's comment just makes me quite angry, clearly she has no clue what the on the ground situation is with these addicts and what the medical and law enforcement community are dealing with.

So she just towe's some simplistic, stupid statement that makes her feel superior while ignoring the reality of the problem. Fk her.

Carrie is a dude.

[afc wimbledon]

Originally Posted by corporatejay

Doesn't sound like a good idea but people far more experienced and educated than me think it's a good idea so totally worth a try. I hope it is successful.

Actually it is, heroin is a much better maintenance drug for an addict. Than methadone, easier on the body therefore the addict is less likely to drop off the program.

Back in the UK I knew addicts that would maintain quite regular lives, going to work etc by taking enough prescribed heroin to keep them from going into withdrawal, they didn't get high, just didn't get dope sick.

[iggy_oi]

Anyone else a little baffled by the fact that they managed to get this done before legalizing recreational marijuana? I get that it's apples and oranges to compare legalizing something for recreational use vs prescription but I had no idea this was even on the political radar.

[Looch City]

Originally Posted by iggy_oi

Anyone else a little baffled by the fact that they managed to get this done before legalizing recreational marijuana? I get that it's apples and oranges to compare legalizing something for recreational use vs prescription but I had no idea this was even on the political radar.

Heroin is safer than marijuana.

[polak]

When I'm on my deathbed I totally want to give Heroin a whirl. #YOLO as they say.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Iggy City

Heroin is safer than marijuana.

In what way?

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

In what way?

[saillias]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

In what way?

I think Iggy City is just baiting with that post. He's got me before too

[jayswin]

Baiting? It was clear sarcasm.

[afc wimbledon]

Originally Posted by saillias

I think Iggy City is just baiting with that post. He's got me before too

Ironically he's not intirely wrong, heroin, if you are able to get a reliable supply of known purity, is pretty safe.
Addicts die of related issues, infections due to dirty needles, HIV, getting beaten to death by your dealer you got a front from etc.
overdoses are generally due to the inconsistent nature of the supply, addicts also overdose if they have stopped using for a while, going to jail is the classic cause, then try to fix at their old pre cleaned up amount. That's pretty much what killed Sid Vicious.

[Fighting Banana Slug]

Originally Posted by afc wimbledon

Ironically he's not intirely wrong, heroin, if you are able to get a reliable supply of known purity, is pretty safe.
Addicts die of related issues, infections due to dirty needles, HIV, getting beaten to death by your dealer you got a front from etc.
overdoses are generally due to the inconsistent nature of the supply, addicts also overdose if they have stopped using for a while, going to jail is the classic cause, then try to fix at their old pre cleaned up amount. That's pretty much what killed Sid Vicious.

Interesting stuff, afc. I am still not sure how this helps the addicts getting off heroin (other than keeping them alive). Is there more to this government program, other than the legalization aspect?

[llwhiteoutll]

How is this going to help break someone's addiction to heroin? Is the point to monitor them and over time reduce the amount they use, eventually leading to none?

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by llwhiteoutll

How is this going to help break someone's addiction to heroin? Is the point to monitor them and over time reduce the amount they use, eventually leading to none?

I think by the sounds of it this is going to target extreme addicts who have very little chance of breaking their addictions, but this way they can still function and aren't dying in the streets or in jail.