Heroin Program's Deadly Toll

Wall Street Journal by Justin Scheck | Jan. 10, 2009 (Special Report)

harm-reduction leaders have struggled to address a sometimes-lethal issue: dangerous drug use by the very workers who are supposed to help users. In the circles of New York and San Francisco where Mr. Morse worked, at least five harm-reduction staffers have died of overdoses. These included needle-exchange founders in both cities, as well as psychologist John Watters, a needle-exchange advocate who started a study to track how outreach programs benefited ... Full Story »

Posted by Derek Hawkins

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Subjects: Business, Health
Topics: Philanthropy, Drugs, Wellness
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Posted by: Posted by Derek Hawkins - Jan 10, 2009 - 2:43 AM PST
Reviewed by: Derek Hawkins (review), Kenneth Sibbett (review), Greg Relaford (review), Fabrice Florin (review), Ben Ross (review), Naomi Isler (review), Walter Cox (review)
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Edited by: Derek Hawkins - Jan 10, 2009 - 2:43 AM PST

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Walter Cox
3.6
 by Walter Cox - Jan. 10, 2009

A thorough treatment of a disturbing subject. Pros and cons of harm reduction drug programs are presented in a very balanced fashion.

Personally I support harm reduction drug programs, however I believe those involved in administering such programs should be drug-free. Previous drug use may be an asset to such workers and increase their effectiveness; obviously drug use concurrent with administering such programs is dangerous.

See Full Review » (20 answers)
Ben Ross
3.1
 by Ben Ross - Jan. 10, 2009

Good reporting with judgmental/ misleading headline. The subject of H or substance abuse is seldom confronted head on....a judgment ( based on what....feelings of superiority?) precede. What is the connection between NAFTA and mex heroin? or Was it from Afghanistan?

My feeling is that the sub head should have been the headline. Many things offer a deadly toll...like land mines, or alcohol. I wonder why this story is coming out now. The test for use and or addiction is cheap to administer....so the question is ..who cares?

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Derek Hawkins
4.0
 by Derek Hawkins - Jan. 10, 2009
Derek posted this story.
See Full Review » (2 answers)
Fabrice Florin
3.5
 by Fabrice Florin - Jan. 10, 2009
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Naomi Isler
4.0
 by Naomi Isler - Jan. 10, 2009

It goes into a problem often ignored - who helps the helpers? And it suggests possible problems with needle exchange program helpers - lack of training, lack of therapeutic and supervisory backup.

How is this problem substantively different from MDs who become addicted to the drugs they prescribe, and whose colleagues all too often feel that they need to help in coverups rather than in therapeutic or supervisory interventions?

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Kenneth Sibbett
4.0
 by Kenneth Sibbett - Jan. 10, 2009

My hat goes off to Mr. Morris and all the fine volunteers across this country. This article not only reports on the dangers of drug use ( be it heroin, cocaine, prescription medicines, etc) it reports on the thousands of people who sacrifice their time an efforts to help the drug addict. An eye-opening report.

My heart goes out to Mr. Morris and his family, who know he did not die in vain.

See Full Review » (3 answers)
Greg Relaford
5.0
 by Greg Relaford - Jan. 10, 2009
See Full Review » (5 answers)

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