New York City Publishes Heroin Guide Book

State DEA Official Calls Big Apple Health Department's Drug Abuse Safety Initiative Disturbing

(AP)  A New York City-funded guidebook for heroin users offers information on how to prepare drugs carefully and care for veins to avoid infection.

The state's top official with the Drug Enforcement Administration calls the "Take Charge Take Care" guide a "step-by-step instruction on how to inject a poison." DEA special agent-in-charge John Gilbride says the handout is disturbing.

The city's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene printed about 70,000 copies.

A health official says the goal is to promote health and save lives. Assistant Commissioner Daliah Heller says instructions on how to perform injections were included because there's "a less harmful way to inject."

The illustrated guidebook offers information on HIV testing and the dangers of sharing needles.

[ky7474]

Compationate people understand why they want to help these people the rest are irrealavent. As for the waste of tax dollars, you've got to be kidding.

[a4mer]

Ignorance is bliss, I guess. Is anyone aware that there are many needle exchanges set up around many large urban areas to help prevent the spread of disease among IV drug users? This is nothing new, people. It just happened to make the news today. And I'd be willing to bank on the fact that those needle exchanges cost a lot more to the taxpayer than that little $70,000 pamphlet. But in the long run, quelling the spread of disease saves MUCH more. An ounce of prevention and all that. And just so you know, drug users are not all stereotypical "losers"--they come from all walks of life and have all sorts of reasons for falling into the trap of addiction. And they can and DO recover and go on to live successful lives as contributing members of society. They may be even more of an assest to their community than...gasp...YOU!

[endthemadness]

If the handbook can stop just one person from contracting hepatitis C which is now rampant in the world it will have accomplished a gread service. Drug abuse will occur regardless, but contracting hepc doesn't.

[Brokennews]

Can't we just let Darwinian evolution to do it's job?

[Brokennews]

What's the difference between a crack head and a heroin junkie?


A crack head will steal your stuff and take off, a heroin junkie will steal your stuff then help you look for it.

[Brokennews]

Don't ever fall in love with a heroin junkie. It's not a good idea. They've got a lot of love, but it's all in vein.

[jennifer-marie]

I don't agree with anyone doing drugs like heroin, but the fact of the matter is that there are millions of people who use heroin in this country. Because of unsafe use practices, they are passing around AIDS and other diseases along with the needles they share -- and some are doing irreperable damage to their veins and arteries because they're injecting themselves improperly. The state of New York is not condoning the use of illegal drugs by making this information available to users -- they are just guaranteeing that these people have the knowledge on how to properly use a needle and sterlize themselves, so that when (hopefully) they break free from their habit, they have minimal fallout for the rest of their lives.

In my opinion, anyone who says we should not provide this information to drug users is on the same ignorance level as those who say we should not provide STD and pregnancy prevention information to our teenagers.

The bottom line is, people are going to do what they want to do no matter what the law or their parents say. Arming people with the knowledge of how to at least be safe when doing it only benefits all of us.

[Treadlightly2]

Zero comprehension thus far in the commentary. Know any Junkies? Thought not. This is an attempt to keep people from completely destroying themselves so that they might one day break free from their addiction and have a life. Yes, I know a few Junkies.

[Brokennews]

Here's my guideline for how heroin junkies to safely do their smack.
First clean wrist area with alcohol to prevent infection, take a sharp knife or razor blade, cut across the inside part of the wrist to about a half inch deep, pour the heroin into the cut end of the vein & sit back & enjoy the ride. Give it a try at your next fix!

[DaVicar8]

Something tells me that this procedure might be dangerous.

[ddaryl1]

We've already proven we can not and will not control our borders... Therefore books like this will ultimatley save million $$$$ later... by reducing the spread of disease and infection... and ultimately the cost to taxpayers

so those who whine about libertarianism run amok are dumb as a box of rocks.

maybe if we legalize these substances and remove the blackmarket we could further reduce the amoutn of burden on tax payers... but that would require intelligence, something republicans have proven over and over again that they are competely incapable of

[jackp32]

A drugged population makes it easier for corrupt politicians and our corrupt gov't to control the people and keep those in power longer.

[earthling76]

The population is already drugged. Where have you been?