Can You Use Heroin Responsibly?

by Will Wilkinson on September 10, 2008

I think so. So do Earth and Fire Erowid, the lead essayists of this month’s Cato Unbound on “Responsible Drug Use.” Carnegie Mellon’s Jonathan Caulkins is not so sure prohibition is a bad thing. Stay tuned for comments from Reason’s Jacob Sullum and UCLA’s Mark Kleiman.

  • CristianStar
    The psychological addiction for heroin means zero compared to the physical addiction. Heroin is a very dangerous drug and no, you can't use it wisely if you are an addict.
    _______________________________
    Alcoholism Treatment
  • god
    no
  • Isaac
    Yes some people can and do. It's the physical addiction that really gets people. Then again I guess it depends on who you are. I mean the high isn't terribly amazing in my opinion, but an ignorant person who uses daily for a week or two will find it progressively painful to discontinue using as the body grows accustomed to having the presence of the chemical just to function normally. Just be smart.
  • tiberiu84
    Yeah sure you can... If you own a drug rehab and want to get rid of it from the mind and body of the addicted person.
  • larry
    Responsible drug use??? Is there such a thing? Before making any kind of comments I suggest you to try heroin first and then talk about RESPONSIBLE DRUG USE... I can't believe I am reading that... I never thought about heroin this, I bet that people in drug treatment centers where "responsible" too.
  • Neel Krishnaswami
    Mark Kleiman apparently agrees with the lead essay, and is trying to figure out something to disagree with.

    Of course, even though (or maybe because) Kleiman could well be the most knowledgeable person willing to call himself an opponent of drug legalization, he's still way, way more sane than the public discourse about drugs.
  • Jonathan Caulkins' piece was awful - just embarrassing. I could argue the pro-prohibition side better than that.

    Let's hope Mark Kleiman at least puts up a fight - it's too depressing to think that no one on the other side can offer anything even approaching a serious argument, and yet despite their lack of a case, major drug policy reform remains extremely unlikely for the foreseeable future.
  • Sig's point is important -- there are enzyme and receptor polymorphisms out there that predispose their bearers toward abuse of certain kinds of psychoactives. But the solution to that kind of problem is still better information, not enforced ignorance.
  • Sigivald
    I don't know if I can.

    I know some people seem to be able to.

    I also know some others don't seem to be able to.
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