By Sara Abramowitz
This is on a slightly different note than everyone else’s post but I thought this article in the New York Times was fascinating so I wanted to share it with all of you. This piece illuminates a program, Insite, in Vancouver that offers a safe place for drug addicts to shoot up.
Drug users are able to get there fix at Insite and not have to worry about being abused, overdosing, or not having a clean needle. This program offers clean needles. The employees that works there are trained nurses and they are able to deal with overdoses. Insite also offers HIV testing and treatment and information on rehabilitation programs for those interested.
Insite is located in a hard neighborhood, which was once the fastest growing AIDS epidemic in North America. Studies show that the transmission rate has declined and the reasoning behind why is due to the increase in the amount of infected individuals taking antiretroviral medications.
The article discusses why this would never work in the US and I think this is a shame because the benefits of the program are more than just reducing HIV/AIDS transmission. It could lower the amount of crime, overdoses, and in the long run save money on treatment. The article states that it could never work because of the type of health care the US has in place and that doctors prefer patients’ satisfaction rather than reducing incidence. The epidemic in the US is mainly found in poor ethnic neighborhoods where there is a stigma about getting tested.
These reasons are all true for why it would not work in the US but I also think it would fail because American voters would be scared of the supposed repercussions. There would be a fear among many that this would in fact increase the use of drugs among teens, because it would be an “accepted” thing people do. In the most recent past elections, Prop 19 in California did not pass, which I found very surprising. One possible reason for it not passing is the fear among parents about what this would tell their children. The same issues arise in both, and if Prop 19 could not be approved in California than I have a hard time seeing a program like Insite being allowed to function in the US.
Will the US ever be able to open up a program similar to Insite? I think not, and it is a shame.
That's really interesting! I was thinking about that recently because it seems like drugs have become a taboo. In order to remove problems associated with it, you would have to crack down on illegal use and be closed about it. It's similar to the French policy on immigration since they think that its better to ignore ethnicity and religion in order to remove discrimination. Does it help? Well, I'm not entirely sure that the problem can be removed if one doesn't confront it. Bravo to Insite for creating a place where drug users can inject safely and perhaps regain a sense of value in their lives.
ReplyDelete-Saya
While I think that the Insite program is a great idea in preventing HIV from spreading (at least as fast as the pace it currently is) among those who are addicted to illegal substances, this article does not say that they are addressing the root of the problem: the addiction. I would love to see something like this in the US, but I tend to think that the fears of a kind of “acceptance” of the situation are justified. Although we tend to think that “if people want to use drugs, they will find a way to do so no matter what,” does that mean that we as a society ought to not even try to encourage them to stop or discourage others from starting? I feel that there would be much more effective impact if a clinic of this nature where to not only provide a safe place for people with addictions, which has the obvious benefits for the society, but also points them towards recovery and freedom. A mentor program with those who have recovered for those who want to stop, I feel, would be able to bring a hope to such a desperate situation. Sometimes people need to know that others care about them to start making a change.
ReplyDelete-Albert
I think Insite also provides rehabilition and recovery programs for the drug addicts. The man in the video (from the link) was discussing about entering rehab with the people from Insite.
ReplyDeleteOne thing more thing about drugs and the U.S.: pharmaceuticals. It's taking over the country. Pills, pills, pills...
-Saya
Albert, I understand your concern about drug addiction, which is why I personally think in terms of dealing with drugs we need to move away from a law enforcement paradigm, a costly failure, towards a public health paradigm.
ReplyDeleteAnd on this topic, I would encourage everyone to investigate what Switzerland has tried in terms of making heroin a prescription drug. It's sort of one step up from the Canadian program Sara posted about. (Doctors actually give addicts heroin in a controlled environment--the substance is not taken out of the facility, neither are the needles).
While it was opposed by the drug warriors for running counter to the hegemonic discourse about drug policy that exist, its very popular in Switzerland and has even been praised in the conservative National Review.
Check out some info on it:
From The National Review in 1995 http://www.drugpolicy.org/library/tlcnr.cfm
To more recently:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/28/switzerland-likely-to-app_n_147023.html
http://www.worldradio.ch/wrs/news/video/switzerland-embraces-heroin-assisted-treatment.shtml?12825
(I feel like I posted this before and it disappeared)
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI agree that addiction is the root of the problem and that there should be a program set up that addresses it. However, Insite is not geared towards trying to get people to stop but instead is trying to slow the spread of the virus. Insite does offer information about rehab programs for those interested but that is not its primary goal. If Insite were to offer clean needles and push for rehabilitation, it runs the risk alienating the individuals who use the program.
ReplyDelete--Sara