Practical Problems of Heroin Maintenance

Abstract

Although many people argue that heroin maintenance is the best solution to minimize the total social costs of heroin use and the enforcement of laws aimed at preventing it, there are serious practical problems in any heroin maintenance scheme. Any scheme that makes it convenient for addicts to get their heroin will make diversion of legally supplied heroin a serious social problem. Similarly, any system which reduces heroin diversion to manageable proportions will prove to be too cumbersome for most addicts. Finally, the cost and other disadvantages of heroin maintenance have been grossly underestimated in the past.