We
Need A Bit Of Grey
Tony
Trimingham
ref:
July 98 Heroinsight
I find it very sad that there is so much polarisation
among people working towards a common goal in so
many drug related areas. Those who think in black
and white ways and denigrate and attack others who
cannot share their views is neither helpful nor
constructive.
I
have to say though that I spend sleepless nights
at times wondering if I am on the right track and
I hope I have enough flexibility to change my thinking
if necessary or if better options occur. I also
believe there is room for all types of approaches
to each of these areas and different people will
benefit from different methods.
The
methadone treatment is a case in point which seems
to raise people's emotions and turn normally rational
compassionate people to attack others, whom I also
know to be equally caring. It seems fairly obvious
to me that there are negatives to this treatment
that need to be acknowledged.
At
the moment it is only option publicly available
and we certainly need to have alternatives to choose
from. The new treatments being trialled will hopefully
join methadone and people will be carefully counselled
to the best treatment for their circumstances.
There
have been some cases of abuse by prescribers and
users. There are cases of negligence, lack of education
and not enough intervention to encourage people
to reduce or eliminate their dosage. These negatives
could be addressed by more funding resources being
allocated to the programs.
On
the other hand, many thousands of formerly chaotic
users and their families now have their lives much
more under control, thanks to this treatment. It
keeps them alive and healthier with better employment
prospects, financially better off, less exposed
to criminal activity and stabilises their relationships.
It
is an option, which many thousands will attest,
has taken them out of the mire of illicit heroin
use.
Yet,
I have to say that I have received two very vitriolic
letters from readers attacking the articles that
appeared in last month's newsletter.
The
authors of these letters are normally reasonable
people who probably have good personal reasons to
criticise the methadone program. The extent of their
attacks, however, goes beyond reasonableness. To
suggest there are criminal conspiracies involved
in the methadone program by people we know to be
humanistic and caring is going too far.
There
are vested interest groups whose motivation is to
prey on those who need our help and those of us
who care should be expanding our energies in helping,
not fighting among ourselves as to who has the right
answers.
If
there are things that need changing, let's work
together to bring about changes that give better
service and more options.
Black
and white thinking is too prevalent and has contributed
greatly to lack of progress through history in handling
drug issues. Grey needs to be adopted, or maybe
even rainbow coloured, in our approaches to building
a better system to help those who need it.
