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Ottawa program offers drinks to homeless alcoholics
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| Orko |
Yes, you read that right. First free heroin kits, and now free beer.
| quote: | Shelters across the country are taking a closer look at an Ottawa shelter that gives drinks to homeless alcoholics after a study suggested the program is having a positive impact.
Dr. Tiina Podymow envisioned the program after volunteering with chronic alcoholics, including some who drank upwards of 40 drinks per day, including mouthwash.
Two men in the program receive their drinks at an Ottawa shelter.
Participants in the Managed Alcohol Project were given permanent beds in a shelter and, from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m, allowed to have one drink of homemade wine or beer per hour, carefully measured out at a dispensary counter.
Now a study published in this week's edition of the Canadian Medical Association Journal is raising interest in the program.
Completed by the shelter's medical director, Dr. Jeff Turnbull, the study examined the program's impact on 17 residents. Most had been alcoholics for 35 years before starting the program.
His study found:
* Participants who typically drank 46 drinks a day before the program dropped to about eight drinks a day during the program.
* The number of emergency room visits fell by 36 per cent.
* The number of encounters with police were essentially halved, falling by 51 per cent.
Critics say there's no way to judge how effective the harm-reduction approach is because there's no comparison group in the study, such as people taking part in an abstinence program like Alcoholics Anonymous.
But Turnbull says the aim of the program is not complete abstinence.
"We always try to encourage people to stop drinking but we are realistic," said Turnbull. "These are people who have spent 20 to 30 years on the street and trying to get them to stop alcohol is not possible at this time."
Others question the reasoning behind the program.
"If this works for alcoholism and you can keep your streets cleaner and safer, then what is stopping you from doing it for cocaine addicts or crystal meth people?" asked Brian Venables, with the Salvation Army.
Podymow says she understands the criticism.
"I would totally agree the best treatment is to stop completely. But if the person with the disease isn't going to stop, what else is the plan?" she said.
Tim Hogan says he'd like to give up drinking but doesn't think he's ready.
"I would like to throw that bottle into the Rideau [Canal] and never come back for it, but knowing me I'd throw the bottle in and I'd probably jump in the Rideau to go get it," said Hogan.
The program has been successful for others.
Wendy Cooper and Jimmy Smyth went through the program together and are now both completely dry.
"If it wasn't for the program I seriously say I would've been dead by now," said Cooper.
With a year-long waiting list to get into the program, several shelters in other cities are interested in adopting it. |
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I am sure there are many details were are not aware of...but does anybody know of any other programs like this? I have heard of doctors(from a doctor) giving heroin to addicts, because they would die otherwise from withdrawal. |
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| Jayx1 |
we already do that here in Toronto.
We give wine to homeless alcholics and crack to heroin addicts. I think these programs costs are in the 100s of thousands a year. This is why i have no sympathy for city hall when they cry broke and claim that they must raise taxes every year.
also giving these guys crack kits and concentrating them all in one spot makes it easier for the drug dealers to find them. This makes the territory a lucrative area and thats when gang members start shooting each other in broad daylight.
what a waste of money |
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| Orko |
I guess this does come down to a moral/economic issue, doesn't it?
1) Do you help these drug addicts with a technique which is proven to work, or do you let them waste away? Here you are helping somebody become a functioning member of society, and provide them with the very substance which they are addicted to. Or, you just have another person who cannot face the problem on their own, and is a drain on society.
2) You give them a little booze, and get them back out there so they can work and pay taxes. Or, you let them sit on their asses and leech of the rest of our social programs. Should social assistance programs be cut off to those with proven drug addictions? Would that go with our against our capitalist/socialist society? |
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| Jayx1 |
| quote: | Originally posted by Orko
I guess this does come down to a moral/economic issue, doesn't it?
1) Do you help these drug addicts with a technique which is proven to work, or do you let them waste away? Here you are helping somebody become a functioning member of society, and provide them with the very substance which they are addicted to. Or, you just have another person who cannot face the problem on their own, and is a drain on society.
2) You give them a little booze, and get them back out there so they can work and pay taxes. Or, you let them sit on their asses and leech of the rest of our social programs. Should social assistance programs be cut off to those with proven drug addictions? Would that go with our against our capitalist/socialist society? |
It doesnt rehabilitate them. It just causes less harm to themselves. Its a temporary band aid solution. Why not spend real money on detoxing these individuals?
giving them wine and crack is the easy way out.
Sadly what our charter of rights did was take away the state's right to treat the mentally ill unless they consent to being treated. Usually im against the state inposing it's will but how are mentally ill people supposed to decide for themselves whether to get treatment or live on the streets? This is why toronto "suddenly" has a homeless problem. We always had one, it's just before 1981 we were allowed to treat them and keep them off the streets. |
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| Moral Hazard |
| quote: | Originally posted by Jayx1
We give wine to homeless alcholics and crack to heroin addicts. |
crack to heroin addicts......... that makes no sense, crack and heroin are nothing alike. Perhaps you meant smack ;) |
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| Moral Hazard |
| I actually think these programs are a good thing but insufficient. What we should be doing is giving these addicts and degenerates MORE drugs..... just keep feeding them drugs/alcohol until they OD..... problem solved! |
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| dj_souvlaki |
| so can we like get free booze from this program so we can pre drink before the clubs? |
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| daves |
| quote: | Originally posted by dj_souvlaki
so can we like get free booze from this program so we can pre drink before the clubs? |
:haha: :haha: you win |
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