 Champion of Hope
Rob from Ontario, Canada is a true Champion of Hope
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Canada
Vancouver Mayor Supports Giving Heroin to Hard-Core Users
Vancouver, BC, Mayor Larry Campbell is pushing for an initiative similar
to a Swiss program that provides daily doses of pure heroin to individuals
addicted to the drug.
Switzerland's heroin-maintenance program, the only one of its kind in the
world, has been in existence for eight years. Although controversial,
officials say the program has been successful in treating individuals with
hard-core heroin addiction.
"I can see this kind of a program operating in Vancouver," Campbell said.
"It's an effective way of treating a small but very resistant group of
people addicted to heroin. In fact, by rights we should be offering
prescription cocaine to the hardest addicts, because they often are hooked
on both."|||
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Middle East
Arab States Battling Addiction
Many Arab states are struggling with a growing rate of alcohol and other
drug addiction and discovering that treatment is a successful way to
address the issue.
According to Nanis William, an addiction expert and counselor, many Arabs
still think of drug abuse as "a moral issue, rather than a disease."
"Here in Egypt, it is the Christians who use alcohol the most, but there
is a perception among many Muslims, who are prohibited from using alcohol,
that other drugs are OK since the Koran does not specifically forbid
them," said William.
In the past decade, drug dependency has increased across the Middle East.
"For young Arabs, there is a growing sense of economic discontent combined
with a sense that Westerners are having more fun," said Mohamed Hassan, a
recovering addict. "Young people are like sitting ducks for drug pushers,
who are targeting them at much younger ages than ever before."
Compounding the problem is a lack of state resources aimed at drug
awareness and treatment.
But a...»»
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