XPost: aus.legal, can.legal, misc.legal   
   XPost: uk.legal, uk.politics.drugs   
   From: reality@check.it   
      
   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.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)