Drug treatment policy doomed to failure in the UK

Its reported on the BBC today that the way we treat drug addicts is doomed to failure. We apparently spend an amazing £3.6 billion on handing out methadone and giving benefits to drug users instead of spending the money on rehabilitation. Its clear as drug use and imprisonment of drug users continues the policy is not working.

"The state is subsidising people to be any number of years on methadone, which has turned out not to be a cheap option and will only subsidise the tiniest proportion - 2% - to go into a rehabilitation unit that would actually free them from dependency and allow them to live their life."

Apparently there is a new policy coming that will give bribes to organisation who get people back to work but I don't see how this will work. Will these people be fit to work? Its clear focusing effort away from all drugs including recreational use of say ecstacy and onto rehabiliation of people using heroin would massively benefit the country. Let alone free up huge amount of Police time and resources.

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Drug treatment policy doomed to failure in the UK

Reviewed by malaria
Published : 2011-06-18T21:54:00-07:00
Rating : 4.5