A Discussion: Needle Exchanges

[Kath]

I don’t think so either, but I do think there needs to be equal justice under the law. Destroying a middle class citizen while accommodating and enabling a homeless citizen for the same crime is no way to run a justice system.
/shrug

I gotta think it's really hard to abuse heroin while living a middle class lifestyle, though I imagine some do. I can't find any stats on how many people are even in prison for heroin use.

[DBTrek]

Just pointing out that the idea isn’t new. It’s fairly established by now.
https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/reco ... oice/#gref
In the end it’s a matter of semantics. Is it useful to view it as a disease? That is the ultimate test. Most successful treatments work from that foundation. Nothing in this world is easy, though, and dissenting viewpoints exist. It wouldn’t be science otherwise.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog ... ly-disease

Well, that may be useful for people actually seeking treatment. People looking for their next needle and a safe place to shoot up don’t strike me in particular as treatment-seekers.

I’m just asking how much we should compel other citizens to shell out for people who decide to shoot up and live under the stars. Everyone, individually, is free to give as much as they want to the “cause”. There is no limit to the personal donation anyone can make towards homeless drug addicts.

What’s a fair and moral price to make your neighbor pay for them?

Once we have a number we can multiply that by the number of homeless addicts in an area and start talking about wise uses for that money.

... or, we can keep shelling endless cash out to unaccountable government programs who always need more and never deliver results. But how far can that train go before wrecking?

[Fife]

I'm trying to think of some clever way to say "giving state access to heroin to a heroin addict through involuntary transfers conjured up and enforced by the state is economically inefficient for all parties involved." I'm just not coming up with a funny way to express that.

[Speaker to Animals]

I'm trying to think of some clever way to say "giving state access to heroin to a heroin addict through involuntary transfers is economically inefficient for all parties involved." I just not coming up with a funny way to express that.

Like paying an Oregonian to pump his own gas.

It's going to end in fire.

[Okeefenokee]

If they commit crimes, to prison they go. That’s the deal. At least, that *was* the deal. The new deal seems to be”If DBTrek shoots heroin, he’s a felon, take his kids, impound his car, foreclose on his House, ten years in lockup.”

If a homeless guy shoots heroin its “oh no! Get this guy a clean needle. Find this guy a house.”

Why the two separate “justice” systems? Are we not both American men?

Maybe neither of us should be in jail. Maybe we both should be. But what kind of system destroys one man and rewards another for the same crime?

This.

[Kath]

I'm trying to think of some clever way to say "giving state access to heroin to a heroin addict through involuntary transfers conjured up and enforced by the state is economically inefficient for all parties involved." I'm just not coming up with a funny way to express that.

Which city is handing out free heroin?

[MilSpecs]

I’m just asking how much we should compel other citizens to shell out for people who decide to shoot up and live under the stars. Everyone, individually, is free to give as much as they want to the “cause”. There is no limit to the personal donation anyone can make towards homeless drug addicts.

What’s a fair and moral price to make your neighbor pay for them?

Once we have a number we can multiply that by the number of homeless addicts in an area and start talking about wise uses for that money.

It's more a matter of cost reduction. HIV and Hep are pretty expensive and a lot of them are double losers who pass it on to other people.

[Okeefenokee]

Well, if we're looking for the cheapest option, I can give you a few proven ideas from the past.

[Okeefenokee]

Can HIV and Hep be transmitted from dead bodies?

[MilSpecs]

I don't think "kill the poor in spirit" was on the list.