WARSAW—The Open Society Institute welcomes the German Parliament's decision to approve medical heroin to treat dependence on opium-based drugs. This development comes only six months after Swiss citizens voted to include heroin as a possible form of treatment for drug users.
Carefully monitored studies have proven that making medical heroin available to severely dependent people is a sound public health intervention. In both Germany and Switzerland, pilot projects demonstrated clear benefits for drug users, their families, and their communities. The main benefits include overall improvement in the health of drug users, fewer HIV infections, and a significant reduction in crime.
"Addiction is a chronic disease," said Kasia Malinowska-Sempruch, director of the Open Society Institute's Global Drug Policy Program. "People with chronic illnesses need ongoing, tailored treatments to control their disease and improve their quality of life. Addiction is no different. After the Swiss referendum, the German Parliament's vote now shows that the consensus in Europe is moving towards recognizing this truth."
In the UK, politicians and the media still demonize drugs and drug users. A recent example is the reclassification of cannabis to class B—which substantially increases the penalty for possession—against the advice of government-appointed experts.
To combat damaging stereotypes, Release, a UK-based advocacy group, sent a fleet of double-decker buses sporting the message "Nice people take drugs" to the streets of London this week. The reality, Release said, is that all sorts of people take drugs—and it is time policy focused on treatment, rather than punishment.
"The attempt by some politicians to cast drug users as morally weak is deeply disturbing and misses the point," Malinowska-Sempruch added. "With proper treatment, drug users no longer run the risk of overdosing or getting infected with HIV or hepatitis C."
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The Open Society Institute Global Drug Policy Program aims to broaden, diversify, and consolidate the network of like-minded organizations that are actively challenging the current state of international drug policy.