Saudi Prince on trial for "sexual" killing of servant

[Cain]

Interesting fact: when heroin was decriminalized in the UK, before the 1970s, it's addicts were mostly ex-soldiers and people recovering from surgery.  There were no crimes associated with it, and doctors were licenced by the government to treat addicts with it.  Since heroin's major physiological side effect - apart from being very addictive - is constipation, people did not die from it or suffer in ill health.  There was no "heroin problem", it was not a popular drug and its usage was contained.

Then, in the 70s, the American government, as part of it's war on drugs, put pressure on UK ministers to outlaw it, which they did. Since then, the addict population has exploded from a few thousand to over 200,000 currently.  The drugs are cut with all kinds of terrible shit, meaning overdoses and complications are more common.  Because it's illegal, the price has risen, meaning addicts frequently have to commit crimes in order to afford their habit.  And government attempts at crackdowns only result in increasing the street price of heroin.

So basically, there was never a heroin problem in this country until our government created one.

[Hanni]

Wow, I didn't know that, I can believe it though. I wasn't even aware it had ever been legal- I guess most drugs were at some point though when you think about it, like MCat and (more recently) NRG-1.

The trouble makers though are usually the alcoholics- they're some of the nastiest pieces of work I've seen.

[Triple Zero]

Interesting fact: when heroin was decriminalized in the UK, before the 1970s, it's addicts were mostly ex-soldiers and people recovering from surgery.  There were no crimes associated with it, and doctors were licenced by the government to treat addicts with it.  Since heroin's major physiological side effect - apart from being very addictive - is constipation, people did not die from it or suffer in ill health.  There was no "heroin problem", it was not a popular drug and its usage was contained.

Then, in the 70s, the American government, as part of it's war on drugs, put pressure on UK ministers to outlaw it, which they did. Since then, the addict population has exploded from a few thousand to over 200,000 currently.  The drugs are cut with all kinds of terrible shit, meaning overdoses and complications are more common.  Because it's illegal, the price has risen, meaning addicts frequently have to commit crimes in order to afford their habit.  And government attempts at crackdowns only result in increasing the street price of heroin.

So basically, there was never a heroin problem in this country until our government created one.

I can imagine. If it's not on the black market it's not being sold by shady characters targeting the homeless and lesser-mentally-capable.

Seriously, when I see the people attending the methadon distribution point, those poor sods are so retarded, I can't imagine it's just a result of drug-abuse. (Additionally, I believe that certain mental disorders have a high co-morbidity of inclination to addiction, so that makes sense. AD(H)D is one of those disorders, btw)

[Cain]

Opium dens were quite popular in the 19th century, as was cocaine.

Hell, Britain fought a war (two actually) for the right to sell drugs in a country where they were illegal.

[Cain]

Interesting fact: when heroin was decriminalized in the UK, before the 1970s, it's addicts were mostly ex-soldiers and people recovering from surgery.  There were no crimes associated with it, and doctors were licenced by the government to treat addicts with it.  Since heroin's major physiological side effect - apart from being very addictive - is constipation, people did not die from it or suffer in ill health.  There was no "heroin problem", it was not a popular drug and its usage was contained.

Then, in the 70s, the American government, as part of it's war on drugs, put pressure on UK ministers to outlaw it, which they did. Since then, the addict population has exploded from a few thousand to over 200,000 currently.  The drugs are cut with all kinds of terrible shit, meaning overdoses and complications are more common.  Because it's illegal, the price has risen, meaning addicts frequently have to commit crimes in order to afford their habit.  And government attempts at crackdowns only result in increasing the street price of heroin.

So basically, there was never a heroin problem in this country until our government created one.

I can imagine. If it's not on the black market it's not being sold by shady characters targeting the homeless and lesser-mentally-capable.

Seriously, when I see the people attending the methadon distribution point, those poor sods are so retarded, I can't imagine it's just a result of drug-abuse. (Additionally, I believe that certain mental disorders have a high co-morbidity of inclination to addiction, so that makes sense. AD(H)D is one of those disorders, btw)

It's usually a mixture of pre-existing conditions which make addiction more likely, what the drugs are cut with and socio-economic status, which feeds into pre-existing mental conditions.  I'm sure RWHN could point out more on that, I only know the basics from speaking to NHS people and a journalist who investigated the government role in the heroin boom.

[Hanni]

Interesting fact: when heroin was decriminalized in the UK, before the 1970s, it's addicts were mostly ex-soldiers and people recovering from surgery.  There were no crimes associated with it, and doctors were licenced by the government to treat addicts with it.  Since heroin's major physiological side effect - apart from being very addictive - is constipation, people did not die from it or suffer in ill health.  There was no "heroin problem", it was not a popular drug and its usage was contained.

Then, in the 70s, the American government, as part of it's war on drugs, put pressure on UK ministers to outlaw it, which they did. Since then, the addict population has exploded from a few thousand to over 200,000 currently.  The drugs are cut with all kinds of terrible shit, meaning overdoses and complications are more common.  Because it's illegal, the price has risen, meaning addicts frequently have to commit crimes in order to afford their habit.  And government attempts at crackdowns only result in increasing the street price of heroin.

So basically, there was never a heroin problem in this country until our government created one.

I can imagine. If it's not on the black market it's not being sold by shady characters targeting the homeless and lesser-mentally-capable.

Seriously, when I see the people attending the methadon distribution point, those poor sods are so retarded, I can't imagine it's just a result of drug-abuse. (Additionally, I believe that certain mental disorders have a high co-morbidity of inclination to addiction, so that makes sense. AD(H)D is one of those disorders, btw)

It's usually a mixture of pre-existing conditions which make addiction more likely, what the drugs are cut with and socio-economic status, which feeds into pre-existing mental conditions.  I'm sure RWHN could point out more on that, I only know the basics from speaking to NHS people and a journalist who investigated the government role in the heroin boom.

Socio-economic status plays a large part- it links to a lot, children from poorer backgrounds are more likely (but not always) to be socialised differently and have different goals in life and different, 'deviant', ways of achieving them whether through drugs or crime.

[BadBeast]

Opium dens were quite popular in the 19th century, as was cocaine.

Hell, Britain fought a war (two actually) for the right to sell drugs in a country where they were illegal.

In1966, the number of Heroin addicts registered with the Home Office, was 1272. This figure rose to 2782 by the end of 1968. Compared to the figures today, (which I don't have) these figures are negligable.

(Source: Drugs, Medical, Psychological, and Social facts. Peter Laurie.  Penguin revised edition, 1974)

Today, many schizophrenia sufferers self medicate with Heroin, because it is by far the most effective drug to relieve symptoms. This naturally results in large numbers of people in UK Prisons with severe mental health problems.

[Cain]

From what I saw, in the Independent not long ago, there are roughly 240,000 crack and heroin users.

[BadBeast]

From what I saw, in the Independent not long ago, there are roughly 240,000 crack and heroin users.

Today, Crack is being marketed, with Heroin by dealers who offer a £20 rock of Crack, free with every eighth of an ounce of Heroin. 

[Hanni]

From what I saw, in the Independent not long ago, there are roughly 240,000 crack and heroin users.

Today, Crack is being marketed, with Heroin by dealers who offer a £20 rock of Crack, free with every eighth of an ounce of Heroin. 

Seriously?
They must be selling that Heroin out for a huge profit to just being giving crack away... unless they're going to start charging after they've got people hooked.

[Don Coyote]

Well, he got 20 years for it. Which is better than getting life. If he got life, he'd be up for Parole in 7 years. But getting 20 years means he has to wait 10 years before he can apply for Parole.

Good, even if it was a crime of passion he didn't deserve to get off on manslaughter.

Sad things is he probably did.

[BadBeast]

From what I saw, in the Independent not long ago, there are roughly 240,000 crack and heroin users.

Today, Crack is being marketed, with Heroin by dealers who offer a £20 rock of Crack, free with every eighth of an ounce of Heroin.  

Seriously?
They must be selling that Heroin out for a huge profit to just being giving crack away... unless they're going to start charging after they've got people hooked.

Of course they are. This level of Dealer, can expect to turn over maybe £3500 - £4000 a day.

[Cain]

I will admit this is pure speculation on my part, but the Afghan War may be causing some interesting price fluctuations.

[Jenne]

I will admit this is pure speculation on my part, but the Afghan War may be causing some interesting price fluctuations.

Afghanistan's #1 export still seems to be heroin, from what I hear...the Talibs tried to make heroin more scarce when they were in power.  The war changed all that, they then in order to spite the US/UN occupation, started INCITING more farmers to turn a profit for their purposes and sow more poppy fields.

[Cain]

I will admit this is pure speculation on my part, but the Afghan War may be causing some interesting price fluctuations.

Afghanistan's #1 export still seems to be heroin, from what I hear...the Talibs tried to make heroin more scarce when they were in power.  The war changed all that, they then in order to spite the US/UN occupation, started INCITING more farmers to turn a profit for their purposes and sow more poppy fields.

Turns out they were actually doing that to drive up the prices, while claiming piety was the reason.

As their later conduct has shown, and as you've mentioned, they definitely have no problems with dealing it now.