Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbatt!cbosgd!ucbvax!jade!entropy!cda
From: cda@entropy.berkeley.edu
Newsgroups: net.followup
Subject: Re: The war on drugs
Message-ID: <1363@jade.BERKELEY.EDU>
Date: Tue, 30-Sep-86 12:55:34 EDT
Article-I.D.: jade.1363
Posted: Tue Sep 30 12:55:34 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 3-Oct-86 09:40:44 EDT
References: <5305@decwrl.DEC.COM> <1066@kontron.UUCP> <363@cci632.UUCP> <7078@boring.mcvax.UUCP> <225@BMS-AT.UUCP>
Sender: usenet@jade.BERKELEY.EDU
Reply-To: cda@entropy.BERKELEY.EDU ()
Organization: University of California, Berkeley
Lines: 17

In article <225@BMS-AT.UUCP> stuart@BMS-AT.UUCP (Stuart D. Gathman) writes:
>
>Even if the drug were cheap, a junkie would not be able to function in a
>'normal' society!  The only way to implement this idea is to treat the
>junkie as a welfare case and supply free drugs (Netherlands is doing
>this now).

Many successful and well-respected physicians have been addicted to opiates
for most of their career lives.  Junkies who continue to function in
mainstream society usually manage to keep their habits a secret.  Controlled
opiate addiction is much less physically and mentally debilitating than
alcohol addiction - the main problem junkies face is financial.  That's
why doctors are able to maintain opiate habits and still seem like
'normal' people to their friends and associates - they have access to 
cheap and pure drugs.

Charlotte Allen