Giving money to the homeless

[SarzWix]

And if it buys the wrap of heroin that kills him how will you feel?

well it gets another adict off the streets.

A very good friend of ours died from a heroin overdose. It's nobody on here's business how or why that happened, but suffice it to say that I hope no friends or family of yours ends up in that sort of trouble. Doesn't sound like they'd be getting a lot of support.

[Two_Sheds]

well it gets another adict off the streets.

... addicts like Hannah Meredith? She was 17 when she died

As was a friend of mine, who ended up hanging himself in the woods in despair at his addiction

[bobleponge]

Without wishing to fuel the fires, Janeyo's opinion isnt at all unusual.

I would agree totally that addiction is an illness, my own son tried his level best to kill himself with all manner of unpleasant substances, but given the damage that he and other addicts do to the rest of society it isnt really a wonder that the general opinion isnt one of helpfullness.

I dont agree with Janeyo's point of view, but can certainly see why she and a lot of other people think that way.

[Seahorse]

but given the damage that he and other addicts do to the rest of society it isnt really a wonder that the general opinion isnt one of helpfullness.

What 'damage' exactly, do addicts do to the rest of society?

[Paulottie]

[QUOTE=janeyo;618075]

And if it buys the wrap of heroin that kills him how will you feel?

well it gets another adict off the streets.

That is a jaw droppingly horrid thing to say.....does your sh*t not smell then? Who the hell are any of you to sit in judgement. Life is a tightrope walk in a hurricane chum.

It is not necessarily addiction that brings anybody to their knees. But then I suppose that if life has got that bad and beyond your control with no prospects with the little money you can get it must be tempting to blot it all out.

In my long dim past I have been a drug addict...by a combination of luck, others kindness and never using needles: I was lucky and turned myself around....so, there but for the grace of God go I.

That said ...on the subject of begging, I rarely give. I travelled all over Asia in my youth and you simply can't help everyone. But don't judge or take their dignity.

One of my enduring memories is of a fellow in Thailand, a country where begging is not part of the culture (except monks), he was just sat there by the side of the road with a set of old bathroom scales...I weighed myself, thanked him and gave him enough for a bed and a meal.

[bobleponge]

What 'damage' exactly, do addicts do to the rest of society?

I dont know if you've ever been burgled Seahorse, but if you have, the chances are that it was to feed a habit.

I know as a fact that when my son was at his worst, although he was semi holding down a job, the salary he received was nowhere near enough to cover his drug costs. He has never told me where the extra money came from, but many of his friends have, and he knows I know that he burgled houses on a pretty much daily basis.

[Seahorse]

I dont know if you've ever been burgled Seahorse, but if you have, the chances are that it was to feed a habit.

I know as a fact that when my son was at his worst, although he was semi holding down a job, the salary he received was nowhere near enough to cover his drug costs. He has never told me where the extra money came from, but many of his friends have, and he knows I know that he burgled houses on a pretty much daily basis.

Horrible as that is, it's damage to individuals, not a threat to the fabric of society.

I'm frankly shocked by some of the opinions in this thread. There are 'bad' people for sure (quite a few of them living in penthouses and laughing all the way to the bank on the basis of big buisness) but I truly don't think many kids weigh up the options and decide that becoming a drug addict and living on the streets is their easy route to cash

edited to add: a 'one off' perhaps but when I gave the bloke who begs locally to me a fiver at Christmas, he looked utterly stricken and tried to press it back into my hand with a 'no, spend it on your kids'.

[bobleponge]

Horrible as that is, it's damage to individuals, not a threat to the fabric of society.

but I truly don't think many kids weigh up the options and decide that becoming a drug addict and living on the streets is their easy route to cash :mad.

I didnt say it was a threat to the fabric of society, I said the damage they do to society, and I stand by that.

I also dont think that kids weigh up the options etc etc, I did say that I dont agree with Janeyo's point of view, but I do understand why a lot of people feel the way she does.

[Paulottie]

I dont know if you've ever been burgled Seahorse, but if you have, the chances are that it was to feed a habit.

I know as a fact that when my son was at his worst, although he was semi holding down a job, the salary he received was nowhere near enough to cover his drug costs. He has never told me where the extra money came from, but many of his friends have, and he knows I know that he burgled houses on a pretty much daily basis.

Now that's a whole new topic.

Whilst I agree that much crime is fuelled by drug addiction.

Perhaps if the gov't were to decriminalize it, they could make it cleaner, and take it out of the control of the black market and wean people off it. In many ways it would make it less attractive to youngsters as many only start to be rebellious....apart from anything else if your completely off you face you can't get it together to rob anyone...its only when you run out eh!

Unfortunately the same tactic won't stop idiotic binge drinking.

[jackyspratty]

Think it needs to be recognised as well that homelessness and drug addiction do not always go hand in. I worked for an organisation which provided housing for young people, their stories were all different. Some managed to move on and take a different path, some tried really hard and failed, some did not try at all. This can apply to all of us not just drug addiction and homelessness.
Its interesting that a thread on homelessness has turned into a thread on drug addiction. There are many many reasons why someone can end upon the streets as discussed, and it could happen to any of us.....debt, bereavement, mental health issues, unemployment, family breakdown, disability, old age......the list goes on. How many of us can honestly say that none of those issues will ever affect us? If we cant make that declaration we cannot say we will never be homeless.

[FionaH]

but I truly don't think many kids weigh up the options and decide that becoming a drug addict and living on the streets is their easy route to cash

I agree, in my earlier post I referred to the fact that many young people feel they can not return home for various and unpleasant reasons. No one in their right minds thinks drug addiction is a good plan. Most of us truly believe that it won't happen to us and our drug of choice starts by making a difficult life seem better

What 'damage' exactly, do addicts do to the rest of society?

Unfortunately quite a lot, rising cost to the NHS, drink/drug related injuries illness etc. No cost in rehab as this is woefully under funded

Seeing as some have bravely put their cards on the table I will too. As a recovering alcoholic I find the "one less addict on the streets" remark personally offensive, as a functioning member of the human race I find it utterly abhorrent.

[Jeanied]

The discussion on this thread has reminded me of a few quotes about humanity and compassion - I like this one tonight:

Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.
Dalai Lama

[ladylottie]

Think it needs to be recognised as well that homelessness and drug addiction do not always go hand in.

Its interesting that a thread on homelessness has turned into a thread on drug addiction. There are many many reasons why someone can end upon the streets as discussed, and it could happen to any of us.....debt, bereavement, mental health issues, unemployment, family breakdown, disability, old age......the list goes on.

I agree with what you say here Donna, and am a bit surprised (horrified might be a better word!) at some of the comments made by others on this topic. It's only too easy to make sweeping statements about people's circumstances - as you point out, not every homeless person is an addict. And if we ignore people with addictions in the hope that if they die that "will be one less on the streets", then just how much further will this idea be taken? Don't help and let a sick person die?, or let an old person die? Where could it all end? Thank goodness there are still some who can see beyond the "beggar on the street" to the person behind the face.

[jackyspratty]

I agree, in my earlier post I referred to the fact that many young people feel they can not return home for various and unpleasant reasons. No one in their right minds thinks drug addiction is a good plan. Most of us truly believe that it won't happen to us and our drug of choice starts by making a difficult life seem better

Agree totally. Also the sad truth is that once homeless you are more vulnerable to the issues which made you homeles in the first place! A sort of double jeopardy. You're more at risk to abuse, self harm, mental health issues, ill health, violence, further family breakdown and of course addiction.

[di]

And if it buys the wrap of heroin that kills him how will you feel?

well it gets another adict off the streets.

Janey...I'm guessing you've never lost a loved one to drugs?(sorry if I assume wrong)
It's a nasty evil thing and yes,when an addict is desperate for their next fix they'll do almost anything to get it.They're still the same beautiful person they were before the drugs took hold...they're still the same son/daughter/brother/sister/best friend that they were before.

A couple of years ago there was a serial killer in Ipswich,his 'prey' were prostitutes...you'd think the streets would have been empty but they weren't.There were still girls going out there,absolutely **** scared they might be the next victim,but the need for a fix took priority over their safety.

Please,think hard about comments like that...of course you're entitled to your beliefs,but a small comment like that can cause a lot of pain.

I've just realised that my quote has made it look like Beefy made the comment.I've not corrected it as I noticed someone else had done it also.