Addicts 'given drugs rewards'

[Ck]

Cocaine and heroin addicts on a Government treatment programme are being given extra drugs as a reward for good behaviour, it is reported.

The BBC said a survey of almost 200 clinics in England by the National Treatment Agency (NTA), which runs the £500m-a-year treatment scheme, found users were being offered extra heroin substitute methadone or anti-depressants for clean urine samples.

The NTA admitted the practice was unethical and said it wanted to see certain practices "squeezed out of the system".

The broadcaster reports a third of clinics in the survey said users who produced a drug free urine sample may be offered increased doses of heroin substitute as a reward, known as "contingency management". A quarter admit that clients can choose the type of substitute drugs they want. The survey also found clinicians offering anti-depressants, cash vouchers or access to detox as a reward.

The NTA said offering drugs for anything other than clinical need was wrong.

The agency's chief executive Paul Hayes told the BBC: "It isn't a practice we would advocate. One of the things that's important before we start rewarding people through things like contingency management is to make sure that we're doing it according to the best principles for drug treatment. There are a range of practices associated with drug misuse in this country that are not what we would want them to be."

Mr Hayes explained the NTA was set up not only to expand the provision of drug treatment, but also to improve its quality.

While he says it is appropriate for other drugs to be prescribed alongside prescription drugs to help deal with the withdrawal symptoms, they should not be given as a reward and the agency "wouldn't advocate" such a practice. He said doses of drugs should be determined by an individual's needs and not by whether or not they were co-operating with the programme.

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First off, it's being reported that addicts are being given drugs as a reward when the truth is that they sometimes are offered prescription drugs as motivation, and secondly, I don't see what's wrong with that. It's a fact that drug addicts are motivated by drugs so if you want them to stay clean offer them a safe alternative of what they want or they'll go back to street drugs.

[Earl]

Is it working?

[Ck]

Most probably

I reckon they're bothering about the cost as per usual.

[Earl]

The cost is the major issue, they were questioning the ethics of it on the news.

[Ck]

If they reported that it was practice to give away extra drugs as a reward and it still wasn't working then that is one thing, I would come to the conclusion myself that giving drugs out for a lost cause was wasteful but complaining that it is unethical isn't enough. I don't care how unethical it is, if it works and people are managing to kick the habit because of it then they should look at changing the scheme so it becomes common practice.

[Earl]

I agree. My only reservation would spending the money o the deadbeats, perhaps they should just get cold turkey?

[Ck]

They'd need to lock them up somewhere for that and rooms and supervision cost lots of money.

[THE V0NZ]

I agree. My only reservation would spending the money o the deadbeats, perhaps they should just get cold turkey?

I wouldn't even give them cold Turkey Swizzlers, the drugged up bastards!

A good dose of National Service - that'd sort the buggers out.

I don't see why we are sending good men to die in Afghanistan and Iraq when we've got these cunts.

And neither does my wife.

[Earl]

Because they're useless?

[THE V0NZ]

Because they're useless?

Far from it - you could use them as shields for the real troops, or just strap them to the side of armoured vehicles to absorb blasts from roadside bombs (or walk in front to clear mines).

They help protect the proper squaddies and it also gives them a chance to die for their country with a bit of honour and dignity - it's a win-win.