Heroin Addiction in the UK

[VivaE]

My mate works with rough sleepers and several people on his books have died from overdoses this year alone. Used to be he'd get maybe one overdose in a year and that'd be a bad year. Quality of street drugs is worse than ever apparently, heroin is increasingly being cut with fentanyl etc and it's killing people. But still it feels like we're decades away from any kind of sane drugs policy that doesn't empower and enrich organised crime and doesn't treat vulnerable people as cannon fodder.

I've worked in the addiction field (fundraising not clinical side) and it's one of the most difficult fields to raise/secure funding for, relying to a shocking degree on trusts and charitable orgs that have addiction as their main or one of their primary support remits. The majority of them are private trusts set up by individuals who themselves are in recovery. Without their help, residential and day care services for the chaity I worked for would have died a death. Government funding is and remains a lip service joke.

 

[Boo Radley75]

Prescription?

So you're a drug user too then?

Yes, I take statins for high cholesterol. Strangely enough, it doesn't turn me into an anti social arsehole.

Going to bow out of this particular conversation, now. It was a traumatic experience, which happened to my daughter and me, which hurts bringing it up again but thought would help and add to the thread. Having strangers on the internet weirdly nit pick about the minor details and trying to paint me as the bad guy is bizarre and not helpful. I see no point continuing this particular conversation.

 

[PTK]

Prescription?

So you're a drug user too then?

No, he takes medicines prescribed by the doctor. I used to see addicts in the pharmacy where I used to get my medicines.

 

[PTK]

In my experience of getting shit from people when out and about, it's the drunks who are far worse than anyone else. And I know more people that have ruined their lives with drink than any other drug. But that's legal, so it must be OK I guess.

I don't class the drunks who hang around in the centre of town during the day as any better than any other addicts.

 

[newme]

No, he takes medicines prescribed by the doctor. I used to see addicts in the pharmacy where I used to get my medicines.

Who presumably had prescriptions prescribed by a doctor.

 

[newme]

Which is why I'm in favour of prescribing methadone, injectable if necessary, so that they don't have to resort to robbing and burgling in order to fund their addiction, while increasing funding for rehab and therapy so that they can get help to stop when they feel ready.

I've worked with a few junkies over the years, and everyone of them had a history of trauma, abandonment etc. Addicts are made, not born, and rehab is (mostly) futile unless there is help in addressing the underlying causes imo.

I know someone who was on injectable methadone, don't they do that anymore? Was 15 years ago.

 

[PTK]

Who presumably had prescriptions prescribed by a doctor.

Yes, they did.

 

[newme]

Yes, they did.

So why are you judging someone for a medical treatment?

 

[newme]

That went from 'them' to 'him' quickly.

Also from verbal to physical, just as people pointed out verbal was easy to ignore.

 

[PTK]

So why are you judging someone for a medical treatment?

I thought I was pointing out that if someone is in a pharmacy with a prescription, it does not mean that they are an addict, which someone had implied.

 

[newme]

My mate works with rough sleepers and several people on his books have died from overdoses this year alone. Used to be he'd get maybe one overdose in a year and that'd be a bad year. Quality of street drugs is worse than ever apparently, heroin is increasingly being cut with fentanyl etc and it's killing people. But still it feels like we're decades away from any kind of sane drugs policy that doesn't empower and enrich organised crime and doesn't treat vulnerable people as cannon fodder.

And if we gave addicts heroin, at least they'd not be taking spice instead which really is just about the most awful shit mankind has yet invented. Some of the people Mrs Frank has seen come into her ward at hospital after taking spice, with self-inflicted injuries beyond what you'd think anyone could be capable of. And those who survive just get patched up, cleaned up and sent back out to either do the same thing again or finally finish up dead.

Unfortunately it seems no party actually likely to win is going for any kind of sensible drugs policy or treatment solutions. It's NO! Bad person. Do as you are told without any reference to the situation.

 

[newme]

I thought I was pointing out that if someone is in a pharmacy with a prescription, it does not mean that they are an addict, which someone had implied.

My apologies I was trying to make the same point and may have quoted the wrong person.

 

[PTK]

My apologies I was trying to make the same point and may have quoted the wrong person.

I thought no-one was supposed to apologise on the internet?
We ought to be calling each other nasty names.
Apology accepted.

 

[newme]

I thought no-one was supposed to apologise on the internet?
We ought to be calling each other nasty names.
Apology accepted.

It's urban, in general people are far nicer here and more willing to accept responsibility. Would hate to have grown up with all the weird ones they have now. Reddit is about the least worst other alternative cos of downvotes I thought people were as nice there. Took a while to understand the system and I simply couldn't see those awful opinions as they got made nearly invisible unless you looked for them. Also lead to me calling bullshit on what I didn't realise was a creative writing sub, that went poorly for obvious reasons.

 

[RevolutionSound]

Because they hang around outside the pharmacy where I pick up my prescriptions and I see them in there being given their doses of methadone. Happy to clear this point up, that was troubling you.

It was just a question.

 

[likesfish]

tbf Heroin is still more socially acceptable than Warhammer and possibly cheaper!

 

[Dystopiary]

We have a plentiful supply of them in my town. When they hang out together in a public space, shouting abuse at and threatening small children (such as my daughter, when she was 3) and old people, damn right I will casually use slurs against them.

Slurs don't magically become not slurs when they're used towards people we don't like or who have wronged us.
They're still slurs, they still generalise against whole groups of people.
Nobody's criticising anyone just for de-escalating an unpleasant situation.

 

[newme]

tbf Heroin is still more socially acceptable than Warhammer and possibly cheaper!

And they still don't paint the bloody figures. Drove me nuts, I didn't get into a painting hobby.
Heroin isn't remotely as socially acceptable, dave at the local games workshop doesn't take tick and won't risk anything illegal in the store.

 

[newme]

Slurs don't magically become not slurs when they're used towards people we don't like or who have wronged us.
They're still slurs, they still generalise against whole groups of people.
Nobody's criticising anyone just for de-escalating an unpleasant situation.

Also they quickly changed from verbal to attempted physical abuse. Odd to not mention that to start with.

 

[story]

I'm wondering how you knew they were heroin addicts?

He also seems to be giving a free pass to people who behave antisocially but aren’t drug users.


Boo Radley75 you can qualify your attitude all you like but there will always be an easy way to pick it apart, because it’s a shit, shitty attitude.


I’m sorry that happened to your daughter. I can understand that it was horrible. Please remember that every person struggling with addiction is a son or daughter, and very likely one who has experienced trauma.

 

[story]

I've worked in the addiction field (fundraising not clinical side) and it's one of the most difficult fields to raise/secure funding for, relying to a shocking degree on trusts and charitable orgs that have addiction as their main or one of their primary support remits. The majority of them are private trusts set up by individuals who themselves are in recovery. Without their help, residential and day care services for the chaity I worked for would have died a death. Government funding is and remains a lip service joke.

That’s largely because the shit shitty attitude displayed by Boo Radley75 is so widespread and so accepted.

 

[LakieLady]

I know someone who was on injectable methadone, don't they do that anymore? Was 15 years ago.

It's not something that's been the case for any of the clients I've worked with, but that was 5 years ago and only in one NHS trust. Those who've had methadone have always had liquid.

 

[likesfish]

That’s largely because the shit shitty attitude displayed by Boo Radley75 is so widespread and so accepted.

well having to fund a heroin addiction if your not rich turns you into an anti social chaotic mess. Which is very hard to feel sorry for if you've been on the receiving end of their behaviour. It's a vicious cirlce the illegality of heroin makes it expensive and fuels crime to feed the habit. Which leads to more security and more hassle. I brought a folding bicycle because I had to leave my nice bike 20 mins away hour from work to have any hope of it being there at the end of my shift. Etc etc.

 

[InArduisFouette]

It's not something that's been the case for any of the clients I've worked with, but that was 5 years ago and only in one NHS trust. Those who've had methadone have always had liquid.

Oral substitution therapy is relatively simple to administer in both senses of the word , even where ' directly observed dosing' is required

i found this on gov.uk aobut Injectables being used in substitution treamtnet and th operational and clinicla considerations as well as the impact on service users

Injectable opioid treatment: clinical and operational elements

www.gov.uk

 

[RevolutionSound]

It's not something that's been the case for any of the clients I've worked with, but that was 5 years ago and only in one NHS trust. Those who've had methadone have always had liquid.

It's not really prescribed any more, although there may be some old skool clients still on it

 

[Rompipalle]

Prescription?

So you're a drug user too then?

Well, being a bog-standard "drug user" beats being an utter bell-end like you, that's for sure.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Well, being a bog-standard "drug user" beats being an utter bell-end like you, that's for sure.

View attachment 443007

 

[SpookyFrank]

Well, being a bog-standard "drug user" beats being an utter bell-end like you, that's for sure.

View attachment 443007

Perhaps you need to look up what a 'drug' is.

My comment was directed at a poster who was patting themselves on the back for using slurs to describe (the wrong kind of) drug users. An attitude which I think is entirely deserving of ridicule.

If you read threads instead of just popping in to call people bellends (according to the U75 house style guide there's no hyphen in bellend, for future reference) then you sometimes pick up on these helpful little bits of context.

 

[Rompipalle]

Perhaps you need to look up what a 'drug' is.

My comment was directed at a poster who was patting themselves on the back for using slurs to describe (the wrong kind of) drug users. An attitude which I think is entirely deserving of ridicule.

If you read threads instead of just popping in to call people bellends (according to the U75 house style guide there's no hyphen in bellend, for future reference) then you sometimes pick up on these helpful little bits of context.

Having worked in healthcare since 1980, I'm reasonably confident that I know what a drug is.

Perhaps, in the context of the experience that was described, it's more pertinent to apply the term drug "abuser", rather than drug user. That would be very much more meaningful and correct.

... and I don't give a flying one whether you believe there's a hyphen in bell-end or not. Either works perfectly adequately, not least because the in-built spell-checker automatically creates a red wavy line under "bellend" but does not with "bell-end".

So stick that in your pipe and smoke it.

Happy to help.

 

[SpookyFrank]

... and I don't give a flying one whether you believe there's a hyphen in bell-end or not. Either works perfectly adequately, not least because the in-built spell-checker automatically creates a red wavy line under "bellend" but does not with "bell-end".

Another free tip. If you're claiming you don't give a shit about something, don't then immediately continue going on about it.