Page 16 - WHACK35

M Y E XPE RIE N CE WITH TH E H E RO IN PRO G R A M

IN OUR “I have been a client of the methadone program in Utrecht, a city in
the Netherlands, for 10 years now with small ‘breaks’ in between. Two
years ago I started the heroin program where I am provided free heroin.
I receive 45mg methadone and half a gram of heroin per day*, which is
O W N enough for me most of the time.
Since I have been on the heroin program I have to worry a lot less about
getting sick because I haven’t used (withdrawal).

W ORDS Another big gain for me is that I don’t have to ‘hunt’ for heroin and I am
not dependent on dealers anymore.
Without this program to provide my heroin, I would have to commit
criminal activities such as stealing, selling stolen goods or dealing
to support my habit. Because I have never studied or had a good job, I
couldn’t pay for it. But even with a good job, the cost of heroin would still
be unaffordable.
I have tried to stop using heroin but it was hard for me to persist. I
still find heroin very pleasant and that’s why it is hard to find the right
motivation to quit.
The heroin scene in my city has become a lot worse and meaner over
time. Because of the heroin program I can function without having to
mingle with the scene anymore.”
Ben (39-years old)

*Editor’s Note:
Ben is required to use the heroin daily on the premises (in the drug consumption room) and is able to take his
methadone home. Homeless people on the same program are not able to take away their methadone.

“I was only 16 years when I started using drugs. At first I just used cannabis, and it was given to me by
friends. By the time I was 22 years old, I had started shooting heroin. Back then I was a very heavy user.

I was born and raised in Greece and at that time there was no methadone program in Greece.
Methadone came a couple of years later and I got onto a program then. Before I came to The Netherlands
I had stopped using and I started working in Rotterdam and I had a house and a car. In Rotterdam I met
some people and I started using again. From time to time I tried to quit but it never lasted longer then 2
years before I started again.

Now I have been on the heroin program for 15 months and I get 75mg of heroin and 180ml of methadone
a day. The program has helped me become more confident in myself and I am much less stressed. I think
there are no negatives from a project like this, because it has helped me in so many different ways. When
I have money I might buy some heroin on the street, but it is way less than before and I don’t need to
have much contact with dealers any more. This program keeps me out of the circle and out of trouble and
makes life less dangerous.”

Evangelos (52 years old)

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WHACK35_LYOT.indd 16 11-Oct-16 4:25:16 PM