Thetownend.com

Always raises a decent debate on here so what do you think?

Drug addicts who refuse treatment could have their welfare benefits withdrawn, it was reported.
The Home Office is considering some form of "financial benefit sanction" for claimants who fail to address their drug or alcohol dependency, the BBC said.

It would mark the revival of a scheme planned by the previous Labour government aimed at helping get drug users back into work

Good idea in my opinion but only if they are not just going to go into this without thinking it through.

If they REFUSE help, why should the tax payers fund there habbits?

Brilliant idea. And it'll save us money on state pensions when they stab up old people for their giro.

If they refuse help then they don't have a leg to stand on.

I think the help needs to be looked at aswell though to be fair. It clearly isn't working for most at the moment.

My humble option is

There is no right or wrong answer to this, you cannot make a choice which effects 100,000's of people and have a positive effect on all of them.

This is were the "Tick box" management style falls flat on its face.  What might help kickstart 1 persons journey to recovery could push another over the edge.

When I was growing up didn't local councils and govenment have social workers / out reach centres to help people on their own road to recovery/journey through life, it seems to be a lot better option than letting some Managment Graduate decide poilcy on a situation he will never face/even have though about because of the silver spoon upbringing.

Lets not forget that some (albeit a small few) will not want to be helped.

Exactly jay, witholding money from addicts (who spend it on highly addictive drugs) just means they will get it from somewhere else via mugging, robbery, prostitution, or burglary.

What about legalising drugs? Its been in the newspapers alot recently. It could help to deglamourise the whole thing, enable useage to be taxed and monitored, and minimise criminal involvement. It could also lead to a pretty messy society, though the argument at the moment is that drug laws have more or less no affect on drug use.

I'd just be concerned that the floating drug users, the ones in the middle, who have the occasional spliff / line / pill / suppository, could easily be drawn into significantly more regular use and worse.

Heroin should be legalised though, and its use and addiction treatment should be managed in the same place.

Well buggery is legalised and positively encouraged in Scumland so why not legalise drugs. I'd rather stick a needle in my arm than have a dick or banana or both up my bum.
 

Drug addiction was almost non-existant in the UK before drugs were criminalised (in the 1930's?). Make something illegal and the price rockets and it becomes very attractive to organised crime who will promote it hard. Look at Prohibition in the USA.

Drugs have been effectively decriminalised in Portugal and the addiction rates/problem have nosedived.

Do it Cameron - although he hasn't got the balls and the Daily Mail would go into melt down.

heroin should be made free on the nhs for addicts.it wont end addictions, but will cut crime massively.
i knew people who have died from the stuff,and i know others who were addicts and beat it.

the whole benefits schemes across the board need shake ups.too many getting them who dont deserve it.

That is reason enough for any policy.

Also see: Series 3 of HBO's The Wire for 'Hamsterdam'.

The system works as well now as it could under the current laws and regulation, if you remove the benefits then drug addicts will resort to crime. If you force addicts into a system whereby more money will be spent trying to help those who don't have any inclination to be helped, so will undoubtedly fail.

Legalise drugs and put the dealers out of business. They are the ones who fuel the whole system of addiction, crime and violence. Let addicts get drugs somewhere they can also be treated.

But if drugs are legalised, those who fund their lifestyles through dealing at all levels aren't just going to disappear. I'm not sure they'd all give up crime.

There's a massive discussion on that very subject on the BBC Have Your Say site. Looking at the results I'd say around 80% of people agree the current drugs policy has failed and we do need to look at decrimilising some or all drugs.

As a (sensible) drug user, I have to admit the taboo part of being naughty and taking drugs did appeal to me at 18 years old. If the stuff I'd wanted to try had been legal then it's no fun is it?

Maybe.

But it's not much of an argument against taking the market away from the bad guys.

Wasn't suggesting that, but it's not the complete solution that some might think.

No, they would find another avenue to exploit. It'll shift the problem around, no doubt.

if drugs were legal Would addicts still go to dealers, of course they would, I can't see Lloyds Pharm. giving tick or swapping a wrap for some old VHS videos!

I'm sure the Gov. would alter the drug's as well making them different i.e. not cut with rat poison etc most addicts wouldn't choose a clean made in some lab. drug would they ?

It wouldn't be like that though would when they say legalized they mean managed aswell. Legalize it with the intention of reducing the use.

Alcoholics go to the pub or off licence.

And yes, and drug use, be they recreational, habitual or addicted would definitely go for the clean drug every single time. The experience on shitty mixed drugs is often not a pleasant one.

You don't really know what you are talking about do you?

At the risk of a whoosh but, are you being serious?

maybe I didn't put my point across well enough.

I didn't mean people cutting drugs with harmful products, more along the lines of

Bitter drinkers always commenting on how a real Cask ale taste better than a john smiths etc

Non-pasteurize milk tasting better.

fresh cheese from a local dairy before its been pre packaged etc..

Quiet clearly not by the look of it !

how can you get better than uncut drugs? that is impossible.

FREE uncut drugs! 

I'm all for legalised drugs but can't see why the taxpayer should fund the bill.  People seem to forget that the dole was there to catch people and stop them from starving not so they can have a great time.

Got an addiction? That's your problem.  Having seen what alcohol done for my mother means I keep booze at arms length.  I enjoy a drink but it'll never rule me.

of course.but anyone wanting drugs wants it as pure as they can get it.
the point above by townforever makes no sense

That get delivered to your home.

Fund the bill for what?

The point is we are footing the bill... through crime, rehabilitaion, prison service etc. There has to be a better way.

it costs a damn site more for victims of druggies crimes,locking them up,police time,etc,etc than if say heroin was available on prescription.
at least that way victims of junkies crimes would drop significantly

But it's not just 'your' problem as such is it,thats the wider issue.I don't just mean you but that's the way most people think and until people realize it's becoming everyone elses problem then it's going to carry on getting worse.

It's much more deep rooted than saying right go to this drop in centre or we stop the money you get.These people are getting around £70 a fortnight which is not even a days habit in most cases.

I have a close family relative who has a heroin habit. He's been smoking it fotr about 5 years, but I only became aware recently. He told me it has been costing £300-£400 per week, & we've only just managed to stop his house being repossessed as a result. He is on a programme, & appears to be making good progress apart from the fact that he is still associatting with his mate who is NOT trying to kick it & is scum as far as I am concerned.
He's on a prescription drug that isn't methadone, but as far as I undersatnd it, blocks the effect if he does take any so there is no point. He initially had to pick up the prescription daily but is now able to pick up 3 days supply at a time & has had clear tests for 10 weeks now.

As to legalisation... Sure it may bring down the price, but do we want it cheap & affordable for all. Another advantage would be to take a source of revenue away from the Taliban in Afganistan ?

But you look at the problems with legal highs, & more particularly alcohol, both are legal & availble AND used, AND cause problems for some.

I'd vote to stay as they are, although I would not object to legalising Cannabis

That's a massive point in my opinion. I only smoked because of the rebel factor and the hardest part for me to deal with, once given up, was wondering how I can stick my fingers up at society by being naughty. I think the same about people that smoke weed. It's a massively underwhelming drug, but in certain circles it's a required accessory, partly because it's what their section of society does and partly because it adds belonging.

I think the same about Speed/Bass, Coke, Ecstasy, MDMA, Ketamine and other so called recreational drugs. I only ended up taking any of the aforementioned drugs because my mates did. I remember feeling pretty pleased with myself and that I was officially part of the crowd when I did as well.

It's for those reasons that I'd still think legalising them would perhaps only swell the coffers. The barriers to entry would be easier and the slope from one drug to the next would be slipperier. Heroin, Crack and most other class A drugs have always scared me, because of their addictive and life ruining nature. Yet legalise them, you're in many respects labelling them as safe, or at the least putting them in the same stable as alcohol and fags, which in the case of Heroin and Crack, can't be a positive. Christ kids still smoke and drink because it's not allowed. The negative press they receive can't help.

I think it's about the long term though Barry by legalizing it it will become less easy to get hold of as anyone with a addiction will be being monitored and treated. Of course you will get some buying to top up but i believe the majority want to get clean and their usage will be reduced but it's the follow up that they really need to focus on aswell.

At the moment you have people who have no life experience whatsoever trying to help these people with rehabiltation who simply refer to page 64 or whatever of whichever book they have read,99% of outreach workers have no idea of why they are doing what they are doing.

I firmly believe that recovering addicts can be a great help for users. If they see someone who has gone through what they have yet is now doing something worthwhile then maybe that will help.

We're not talking about a blanket legalisation of drugs anyway. Decriminalising is what we mean. This doesn't mean people who aren't addicted to drugs will be able to wander into Tesco to buy crack.

Can you imagine the advertisements on the tv if supermarkets were to start selling drugs.

Free £20 bag of crack with every crack pipe beginners set.

Rizla party bags, include 10 b&h and some top level skunk.

Purple haze is the shizzle

Mango Chush is the shizzle

Are we talking old skool Jimi Hendrix style purple haze....?

I don't think you quite understand the issue with price.

Because it is illegal, the risk factor increases the price which in turn make it a more attractive market to dealers. It has nothing to do with making it more affordable.


Yet the vast majority of the population go about their daily lives without a problem despite alcohol being legal AND readily available.

You seem to think that legalisation would lead to drug users would begin to use it every day, it doesn't work like that. If they wanted to do drugs all the time then they would be doing so already, regardless off the law. Addicts are in the minority of drug users.

The weed yeah. This was years ago mind