Re: Untreated opiate/heroin addicts <fwd>

[Guest guest]

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There is a wonderful little book, just published, by Granfield & Cloud

called " Coming Clean: Overcoming Addictions Without Treatment " published by

NYU press. They did an in-depth study of 40+ self-quitters (from a variety

of drugs including heroin, alcohol and cocaine--with a mean dependence

duration of 14 years for alcohol, 6 for drugs, and mean " recovery " periods

of 7 and 6 years respectively) that is very revealing. It also dovetails

with other classics in the field including Waldorf, Reinarman and 's

" Cocaine Changes " and Biernacki's " Pathways from Heroin Addiction " . Finally,

recent studies by Deborah Hassin of NIH have also documented the " natural

recovery " phenomenon.

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Pete Watts

" ...but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end

for they do so with the approval of their own conscience...To be 'cured'

against one's will and cured of states which we may not regard as disease is

to be put on a level with those who have not yet reached the age of reason

or those who never will. "

C.S. " The Humanitarian Theory of Punishment (1949)