Thursday, August 19, 2010

DYK #heroin is a registered #medicine in the #Netherlands?

The #Volkskrant had an article that mentioned that heroin has been a registered medicine for over 10 years. It started as an experiment in Utrecht where many junks had found there home in a prestigious shopping centre. There are now 17 clinics in 15 cities where heroin junks get their daily fix under medical supervision. As a consequence the number of heroin junks decreased significantly and the

Almere, my city, is the seventh city in size in the Netherlands and as can be expected, it has its own heroin junks. There are enough junks who have an psychiatric issue for Almere to feel the need to provide a shelter for these people.

This shelter will be in my street. As it is in my back yard, I elected to become a member of a group who provide oversight over the agreements under which this hostel will operate. I am in this representing the "neighbourhood".

The neighbourhood fears an increase in criminality, pushers selling drugs to the junks in the shelter. Other opiates like methadone will be made available in the hostel and, that is great as it will diminish the need to "score". I will ask for the distribution of heroin (only) to the inhabitants of the hostel because this will make it unprofitable to dealers. It will prevent the need to steal in order to buy heroin. This will make my neighbourhood much safer.
Thanks,
     GerardM

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