White House opposes life saving heroin antidote

This story is apparently being talked about in many of the science blogs out there, and Clarke brought it to my attention, via PZ Myers's blog on Science Blogs:

Narcan is the commercial name for Naloxone, a rapid acting drug used to counteract the effects of opioid overdose by combating the depression of the central nervous and respiratory systems.

It costs only $9.50 per dose and is easily administered via a nasal spray, saving the life of someone who has overdosed on heroin or morphine.

The White House's deputy director of the Office on National Drug Control Policy, Dr. Bertha Madras, opposes the use of the life saving heroin overdose antidote:

"First of all, I don't agree with giving an opioid antidote to non-medical professionals. That's No. 1," she says. "I just don't think that's good public health policy."

Madras says drug users aren't likely to be competent to deal with an overdose emergency. More importantly, she says, Narcan kits may actually encourage drug abusers to keep using heroin because they know overdosing isn't as likely.

Madras says the rescue programs might take away the drug user's motivation to get into detoxification and drug treatment.

"Sometimes having an overdose, being in an emergency room, having that contact with a health care professional is enough to make a person snap into the reality of the situation and snap into having someone give them services," Madras says.

The White House's position is absolutely absurd. These people WILL DIE without the antidote, and you want to deny people in drug treatment and response programs the use of this drug?!

The argument that it will encourage more drug use just because it makes overdose "safer" is absolutely ludicrous coming from a White House that has professed a love for all life, promoting their "Pro-Life" agenda in other issues such as abortion.

The key point is Narcan saves people from dying. A person can't go through drug rehabilitation if they're dead. They can't keep using the drug if they're dead.

Perhaps that the end goal of the White House, to let all those on the bottom rung of the drug war to die in dark, filthy corners basking in their poverty and misfortune. I doubt the White House cares enough about them, and its obvious from many of their policies that they don't.

It's a ridiculous point of view to take when you turn around and profess all life as sacred from the moment a sperm hits an egg.

Hypocrites.