XPost: aus.legal, uk.legal   
   From: sylvia@not.at.this.address   
      
   ¦ Reality Check© ¦ wrote:   
   > German parliament OKs heroin prescription   
   > The Associated Press   
   > Posted: 05/28/2009 01:08:09 PM MDT   
   > Updated: 05/28/2009 01:08:09 PM MDT   
   >   
   >   
   > BERLIN-German lawmakers have voted to allow the prescription of synthetic   
   > heroin to long-term addicts who fail to respond to other treatments.   
   > The lower house of parliament approved the measure Thursday.   
   >   
   > It would apply only to people aged at least 23 who have been addicted for at   
   > least five years and undergone two previous, unsuccessful rehabilitation   
   > programs.   
   >   
   > A cross-party group of supporters says pilot programs in seven German cities   
   > found that controlled prescription of synthetic heroin, or diamorphine, at   
   > approved facilities helped addicts who failed to respond to treatment with   
   > methadone.   
   >   
   > Neighboring Switzerland has long had similar programs. They have been   
   > credited with reducing drug-related crime and improving addicts' health.   
   >   
   >   
   >   
      
   If only our legislators could show the same degree of sanity, rather   
   than sticking with the notion that drug addicts are criminals (because,   
   of course, taking drugs is against the law).   
      
   Sylvia.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)