Dutch trial of heroin prescribing

I read with interest the article highlighted on today's Daily Dose about the first large scale randomised trial in prescribing heroin to those whom methadone has failed to help. The Dutch findings show that there are possibilities beyond standard treatment options. This goes to show that methadone isn't the be-all and end-all it is proclaimed to be in this country and that there is another viable option that we can implement in the UK.

My experience of the NHS run services in my area are a production line of get 'em on methadone, forget 'em,  and the job's a good 'un. This simply doesn't work. Firstly it made me feel like a second rate human being, worthy of only second rate treatment. Secondly, when it didn't work for me, I thought that was the end of the road for me, that there wasn't anything else that could be done to help me and therefore I was doomed to a life of addiction and pain.

With help and support from people who actually understand the concept of recovery (including my friends at WIRED IN) I managed to get over that belief and get stronger in my recovery - but many of my friends didn't get that kind of support, and lots of them are dead now and don't have another shot at it. That's how important it is that we get this right, it's life and death and we don't get second chances at that.