[BradtotheBone]

If someone is at the level of overdosing on heroine, wouldn’t it be a wasted effort to try to save them?

[subterfuge]

All the comments on this thread so far are vile and disgusting. What a perfect world you all must live in. Disgraceful!

[Ken H]

If someone is at the level of overdosing on heroine, wouldn’t it be a wasted effort to try to save them?

Quite likely so.

[Marie]

Actually, it’s the WOD that causes overdoses in the first place. (In countries where heroin addicts can get a supply from a clinic, OD’s are almost zero.)

What happens is that the drug pusher cuts his heroin by a certain percent and the addict becomes accustomed to that dose. In one example, the pusher gets wind of a raid and wants to get rid of his stash fast and sells everything uncut for a night or two without telling the addict.

So the addict shoots up their normal dose and it’s several times more potent than what they can handle. OD’s tend to hit the ERs in waves and this is why.

With the gov’t heroin programs, the addict gets what they need to feed their addiction without theft or risk. It saves the hospitals a ton of money by not having to deal with OD’. The addict doesn’t share his stash because he’s only getting exactly what he needs. The pushers are left without business because the addict doesn’t need him and has a less risky alternative. Theft and other property crime drops. With the lack of pushers and the addicts’ not sharing what they’re given, fewer addicts are created.

In countries like Saudi Arabia, where the punishment for doing drugs is death, they still have plenty of addicts. We’re not going to stop the drug problem with harsh penalties.