Cure for Heroin Addiction is Heroin?

Heroin-assisted treatment was the subject of a recent Washington, D.C. event, sponsored by the Drug Policy Alliance and the School of Public Health and Health Services. Heroin Assisted treatment is intended for long-term addicts who have repeatedly attempted unsuccessfully to quit using other programs.

Under the supervision of medical professionals, users are provided with prescription heroin in a controlled, clinical environment as an alternative to buying and using drugs on the street.

Although this type of treatment has existed in Europe for years and been proven to reduce crime and improve public health, it has not been widely accepted in the United States. In fact, Dutch and Canadian researchers have found heroin-assisted treatment (HAT) to be more effective than methadone-maintenance therapy.

"We let thousands of our fellow citizens die because we were not doing what our fellow countries are doing to help addicts," panelist Ethan Nadelmann, founder and director of the DPA, said. As a rule, both legislators and the public usually oppose this type of treatment for drug users, making his support for the program politically risky.

The panelists said that Americans are resistant to heroin-assisted treatment because of the intense stigma surrounding drug users.

Thoughts? Can you imagine this controversial treatment approach being accepted?