Ruth Dreifuss Heroin

Throughout the last few years a very dangerous drug has burst into mainstream attention, heroin. All throughout the country, there are numerous people suffering from addiction to the drug, and even dying. Heroin is a highly addictive drug that is relatively cheap and in many places, easy to find. In many big cities, it seems that almost everyone knows someone who has been on heroin, or a mutual acquaintance of a user. Numerous organizations have their opinions on how to stop the epidemic from spreading before it reaches an even vaster number of people. With that being said, not all of these options are effective. Some argue the viewpoint that users should be jailed until they learn the consequences of what they have done; while other disagree

Ruth Dreifuss, the former president of Switzerland, is an activist of preventing heroin throughout the world. Recently, she wrote an article in CNN fighting the heroin epidemic that plagues the U.S. Her tactic employs “Policies that are people-centered, focused on health and most importantly keeping people alive all while respecting human rights” (Dreifuss). Dreifuss’s tactic, which she used in Switzerland, is very similar to the ideas used by medical professionals, but there are some differences. Her tactics are also slightly controversial, utilizing “opiate substitution therapy” (Dreifuss). Although it is a debated method, it has been proven to work. According to Dreifuss, “Drug related deaths had been reduced by 50%”. This tactic of slowly working the need of heroin out of user’s systems is used by numerous countries including Uruguay and Portugal (Dreifuss). In addition, later in her article, Dreifuss goes further on her claim including prisoners as those needing equal detox treatment. Dreifuss says “If the goal is to keep people alive these treatments need to be available on demand… including people in prison.” Dreifuss’s solution for helping those in prison is rather simple and avoids controversy. She advocates the use of naloxone, which is the same drug that can help bring users back from overdoses and is also endorsed by many medical officials. Her article is very complete and offers many solutions to fighting the heroin epidemic. Coupled with heroin usage, Dreifuss advises the U.S to try and reduce usage of a drug very similar fentanyl. Fentanyl is a “Powerful synthetic opioid analgesic that is similar to morphine but is 50 to 100 times more potent” (Dreifuss). While it is equally important to stop opioid usage of all types, focusing on the most dangerous drugs can save lives, which is the goal of Dreifuss’s plan. Additionally,