Why the Swiss hand out heroin.

[canikickit]

"Care is just as important" (http://cisar.org/g81103ce.htm)

"Had Switzerland's drug addicts not been injecting themselves in public places in broad daylight, the Swiss authorities would probably never have developed their unique pragmatic solution to the drug problem. Begun in 1994, it rests on the so-called "four pillars", of which the most controversial is the free distribution of heroin on prescription. This pragmatic approach is being watched from abroad with interest and scepticism".

Social characteristics of participants in Swiss multicenter opiate trials at time of entry (http://www.drugtext.org/library/reports/swisher1.html)

Swiss Heroin Project Flawed (http://www.estreet.com/orgs/dsi/Treatment/SwissHeroinProjectFlawed.html)

The "flaws" are not particularily well articulated, and leads me to believe that it is merely an attempt to denigrate the efforts of the Swiss government.

[peaccenicked]

I think the Swiss policy is good. The issue must come out in the open and not be allowed to become the domain of the lumpen proleteriat.
The working class is sandwiched between the bourgeiosie and the criminal elements from the "lower classes". Although drugs abuse has no class, we have to take a class approach which prioritises education and removes stigmatisation and all forms of ignorance. :marx:

[canikickit]

I also think the policy is excellent. People will do drugs anyway, at least under these circumstances they can do them in a far safer environment.

[Felicia]

we provide "safe injection sites" in vancouver (I think, I don't know if they give away the drugs though). Atleast I know that they are trying to do something about the problem :)

[Saint-Just]

That way is one solution, but it will not get totally rid of drugs or reduce the problem significantly. Since we are all socialists should we not just keep drugs out of our countries and imprison drug dealers.

[liderDeFARC]

I think this is great, i do recall hearing about it in the news years ago, although im not really sure. Yet when i heard it i was so glad. This is the program where they have centers or something where they hand the users clean needles, right? well if it is like i said above i was very glad :) , this atleast makes sure people dont get infected with HIV.

[redstar2000]

Well, the Swiss program is a small step in the right direction...which makes it light-years ahead of that barbarism known as the United States.

The substitution of methadone for heroin is a really bad idea; methadone, originally known as "Adolphine" (yes, another fine product of the Third Reich), is a shitty drug.

I have no first-hand knowledge of drug treatment programs myself; but I have been told by people who participated in them that the "atmosphere" is quite obnoxious...the staff in such programs treat the participants like "criminals" and "scum". Of course, that's in the U.S. -- things are undoubtedly more civilized in Canada or Switzerland.

But the "aura of superiority" in those reports is not encouraging. What is required is a fundamental change of attitude -- recognizing that the use of this or that chemical to change one's perceptions of life is not a moral "crime".

In general, the reason people use drugs is because, in their perceptions, life is "better" with drugs than without drugs. It's really as simple as that.

It seems unlikely that their views will change as a consequence of "treatment centers" that convey the implicit message: "you're a worthless piece of shit unless you stop using drugs".

By and large, drug users are just like everybody else except for the fact that they use drugs and often pay severe penalties for their usage.

That's a difficult message to swallow -- even many leftists like to join in the warm feelings of "moral superiority" of themselves vs. "junkies", completely overlooking the usefulness to the ruling class of a despised minority.

In my view, the anti-drug laws and the official and unrelenting persecution of drug users is on precisely the same level as the anti-semitic campaigns of the Third Reich.

Irredeemably reprehensible!

http://www.sawu.org/redgreenleft/YaBBImages/smoking.gif
___________________________

U.S. GET OUT OF IRAQ NOW!
___________________________

"...a disgusting and frightening website"
The RedStar2000 Papers (http://www.sawu.org/redstar2000)
A site about communist ideas