severnmiles
Well-Known Member
Drug addicts could be given shopping vouchers to encourage them to kick the habit.
Do you think this would work?
Do you think this would work?
Drug addicts could be given...
- Thread starter severnmiles
- Start date
Tempi
Well-Known Member
in a word, no. How is being given vouchers to shop with going to stop them buying drugs? They are still going to buy them, whether they have food or not!!
severnmiles
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
in a word, no. How is being given vouchers to shop with going to stop them buying drugs? They are still going to buy them, whether they have food or not!!
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Well they'd only receive them if tests showed they were free of drugs.
in a word, no. How is being given vouchers to shop with going to stop them buying drugs? They are still going to buy them, whether they have food or not!!
[/ QUOTE ]
Well they'd only receive them if tests showed they were free of drugs.
Tempi
Well-Known Member
well i still dont think it will work, but im sceptical about that sort of thing, so ignore me!!
FinkleyAlex
Well-Known Member
I think they'd exchange the shopping vouchers for money for drugs :S
polyphonic
Well-Known Member
im for anyways to help people that are desperate for help. its a case of trial and error. we wont know until it is tried
suestowford
Well-Known Member
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Well they'd only receive them if tests showed they were free of drugs.
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Does that mean that those of us that aren't on drugs can get these vouchers too? I wouldn't mind some help with my shopping bills.
Maybe it's because it's Friday and I'm tired, but sometimes stories like this make me so angry - why the hell should drug addicts get given all this stuff? It's like the ad for a forthcoming tv show, the one where the druggie says 'To fund my habit I have to go out and commit crimes'. I find myself shouting at the telly (I am turning into my dad I think!) 'No you don't have to, you choose to, you idiot'. I do wish I could be more tolerant.
Well they'd only receive them if tests showed they were free of drugs.
[/ QUOTE ]
Does that mean that those of us that aren't on drugs can get these vouchers too? I wouldn't mind some help with my shopping bills.
Maybe it's because it's Friday and I'm tired, but sometimes stories like this make me so angry - why the hell should drug addicts get given all this stuff? It's like the ad for a forthcoming tv show, the one where the druggie says 'To fund my habit I have to go out and commit crimes'. I find myself shouting at the telly (I am turning into my dad I think!) 'No you don't have to, you choose to, you idiot'. I do wish I could be more tolerant.
spaniel
Well-Known Member
Just the same thing happened years ago when people were given milk tokens for their children.
(I dont mean they swapped the children.....the tokens were for milk for......you get what I mean.)
Milk tokens became currency for drugs in some areas.
Has the world gone completely bonkers. Why on earth are we giving high street vouchers to drug addicts for gods sake. They are lawbreaking in most cases and not to be rewarded for that.
(I dont mean they swapped the children.....the tokens were for milk for......you get what I mean.)
Milk tokens became currency for drugs in some areas.
Has the world gone completely bonkers. Why on earth are we giving high street vouchers to drug addicts for gods sake. They are lawbreaking in most cases and not to be rewarded for that.
polyphonic
Well-Known Member
i think people should be more tolerant towards drug addicts, for what becomes a pleasure for when you start then turns into a life that is quite horrific. people on drugs actually find it hard to control their actions and for the need for the fix that the BRAIN craves they will source their means any which way they can. count yourself lucky and fortunate that you are alot smarter to never be involved in them
vicster
Well-Known Member
Lets hope it works!!!
spaniel
Well-Known Member
Im sorry flintus but its not as if the dangers of recreational drug taken havent been rammed home over the last god knows how many years.
If someone takes a drug that is known to have a danger attached to it and then becomes hooked its their own stupid fault. Same goes for smokers. I smoke, I dont expect sympathy for it.
If someone takes a drug that is known to have a danger attached to it and then becomes hooked its their own stupid fault. Same goes for smokers. I smoke, I dont expect sympathy for it.
polyphonic
Well-Known Member
i smoke, and i've actually been in one of those situations that arnt so pleasant! yes stupid, very. but there is NOT a support system out there, if you have never walked in someone elses shoes for a day dont critise. so what do we do with these people? we abandon them, leave them to a life of crime and then moan about their actions and responsibilities to society, the same society that turns their backs on people beacuse of the life they are leading, because guess what...its a hell of alot easier to do so than to actually stand up and help
Sooty
Well-Known Member
Only if they can spend them on drugs... I fell about laughing when I heard this earlier. 'Hello Mr Smackhead, would you like to swap your drugs for a £10 M&S voucher? It's not just food...'
voltaire
Well-Known Member
good attitude.
polyphonic
Well-Known Member
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Only if they can spend them on drugs... I fell about laughing when I heard this earlier. 'Hello Mr Smackhead, would you like to swap your drugs for a £10 M&S voucher? It's not just food...'
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and there's the simple, narrow mindedness of people in todays society.... if you have never been involved in that life dont knock it. i think people who are willing to try and help them selves should be supported.
Only if they can spend them on drugs... I fell about laughing when I heard this earlier. 'Hello Mr Smackhead, would you like to swap your drugs for a £10 M&S voucher? It's not just food...'
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and there's the simple, narrow mindedness of people in todays society.... if you have never been involved in that life dont knock it. i think people who are willing to try and help them selves should be supported.
Sooty
Well-Known Member
Oh I believe in helping and supporting, I just have my doubts that a £10 shopping voucher is the answer. I strongly suspect making all drugs legal and taking power away from the drug barons would be far more effective.
polyphonic
Well-Known Member
legalising substances is an option that i believe would also work, i'd also like to see more help given through the NHS, not so many of them are fotrtunate enough to be able to spend money on a private detox programme
Sooty
Well-Known Member
The NHS is woefully underfunded and doesn't have the time to deal with such a masssive problem. At the surgery where I worked we had two registered drug addicts (rural practice) and basically they had to turn up once a week, pee in a pot and get methadone. There was no support for them other than that, it was pitiful. Sadly, they are both now dead. Both young men, both fathers. We had several drug users who had other prescription drugs, all now also dead. All young too. Tragic.
polyphonic
Well-Known Member
i think we think the same along the lines of help, i wont go into the in and outs of my life, but i was very lucky to have such supportive parents with the assets needed to help somebody before they actually ruined their life. people seem to think these people are scum, dangerous etc etc but in reality, they started out just like you and me
flying_change
Well-Known Member
All of you that have horses will be using a carrot and stick approach to training. If the horse does something right it gets a reward - a pat or a polo or a click or even a carrot. If it does something wrong, they may get no reward, or a small punishment... eg a flick from a stick. It's the fastest way to train any animal. And the core of the technique is to reward the requied behaviour.
Stick and carrot also applies to humans. Anyone watch 'House of Tiny Tearaways' ? Stick and carrot is used there all the time.
So, you have a problem with truancy at school. what do you do ? You apply a stick if the behaviour is not what you want, and a carrot (ie a reward) if it is. So punish truancy, reward attendance.
Now you have a problem with a drug addict. Same thing, you apply a punishment if the behaviour is not what you want. If the behaviour *is* what you want, you give a reward. It's just applying the same technique to modifying a behaviour. Problem is now that everyone complains about it.....
Stick and carrot also applies to humans. Anyone watch 'House of Tiny Tearaways' ? Stick and carrot is used there all the time.
So, you have a problem with truancy at school. what do you do ? You apply a stick if the behaviour is not what you want, and a carrot (ie a reward) if it is. So punish truancy, reward attendance.
Now you have a problem with a drug addict. Same thing, you apply a punishment if the behaviour is not what you want. If the behaviour *is* what you want, you give a reward. It's just applying the same technique to modifying a behaviour. Problem is now that everyone complains about it.....
sunflower
Well-Known Member
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Oh I believe in helping and supporting, I just have my doubts that a £10 shopping voucher is the answer. I strongly suspect making all drugs legal and taking power away from the drug barons would be far more effective.
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I agree. I just don't think this will work. Drug addiction is just that - an addiction. It is not something that people decide to become overnight and it is not something that most people can just stop overnight and I really fail to see how free shopping vouchers will help anyone to overcome it. I can understand the added incentive to those who are trying to give up and are undergoing rehabilitation but think there are better ways to reduce the problem with drugs in this country.
There is also the argument about whether it is right to spend NHS money on this. I'm not saying drug treatment and rehabilitation shouldn't be available on the NHS but as there seems to be a shortage of rehabilitation and drug treatment centres surely increasing the available help for those that want it would be a better use of money.
Oh I believe in helping and supporting, I just have my doubts that a £10 shopping voucher is the answer. I strongly suspect making all drugs legal and taking power away from the drug barons would be far more effective.
[/ QUOTE ]
I agree. I just don't think this will work. Drug addiction is just that - an addiction. It is not something that people decide to become overnight and it is not something that most people can just stop overnight and I really fail to see how free shopping vouchers will help anyone to overcome it. I can understand the added incentive to those who are trying to give up and are undergoing rehabilitation but think there are better ways to reduce the problem with drugs in this country.
There is also the argument about whether it is right to spend NHS money on this. I'm not saying drug treatment and rehabilitation shouldn't be available on the NHS but as there seems to be a shortage of rehabilitation and drug treatment centres surely increasing the available help for those that want it would be a better use of money.
flying_change
Well-Known Member
But spending a few tens of pounds on this incentive (ie reward) to stay clean might save several hundreds of pounds treating the addiction later.
sunflower
Well-Known Member
Of course but as I understand it this will be for those who produce 'clean' tests at rehabiliton centres etc, in other words those who are already receiving help. It will not benefit those who can't get the support they need to give up due to the lack of facilities. I just think there are better ways of spending the money that would benefit more people.
flying_change
Well-Known Member
Well here's the article...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6294795.stm
A couple of points.....
a) it's just a proposal.
b) it has been shown to work in other countries.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6294795.stm
A couple of points.....
a) it's just a proposal.
b) it has been shown to work in other countries.
sunflower
Well-Known Member
It may well work (if it is ever introduced into this country) and certainly encouraging any group of people to adopt a healthier lifestyle is a good thing. I still think that given the current state of the NHS there would be better ways to spend the money and that for any such initiative to have an impact it would have to be available to more people hence the need for more drug rehabilitation centres. Altering the focus of rehabilitation to positive incentives rather then guilt as mentioned in the article will benefit those already in 'the system' but in order to begin to tackle the drugs problem we need to find ways to increase that number.
I would also be interested to know who funds the system in the US.
I would also be interested to know who funds the system in the US.
Super_Kat
Well-Known Member
Oh FFS. Could the not put the money to better use e.g. NHS, building prisons so they can lock up paedophiles which are being released into society because theres no room for them......
jackie36
Well-Known Member
i really dont believe anyone will be staying clean in order to collect £10 shopping voucher, the money could be better spent providing more rehab.
polyphonic
Well-Known Member
very well said!
polyphonic
Well-Known Member
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Oh FFS. Could the not put the money to better use e.g. NHS, building prisons so they can lock up paedophiles which are being released into society because theres no room for them......
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drug users committing crime being sent to prison, with out any detoxation, taking up the places that could be housing peadophiles, released back out and comit crime again to support habit. round and round we go
Oh FFS. Could the not put the money to better use e.g. NHS, building prisons so they can lock up paedophiles which are being released into society because theres no room for them......
[/ QUOTE ]
drug users committing crime being sent to prison, with out any detoxation, taking up the places that could be housing peadophiles, released back out and comit crime again to support habit. round and round we go
Skhosu
Well-Known Member
drug users=stupid. don't give them bloody vouchers or money. shouldn't have started in the first place