Amsterdam alcoholics paid in beer for collecting litter

Albion

Albion

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25548061

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Alcoholics are being paid in beer to clean the streets of Amsterdam as part of a project partly funded by the Dutch government - the organisers think other countries should abandon "old-fashioned political correctness" and adopt the same approach.
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I think this is a pretty novel and positive thing. As the article says, "Instead of being ostracised by society, the alcoholics' needs appear to have been incorporated into the Dutch healthcare system."

Everyone seems happy, according to this article. What do you guys make of this?
 
It's a very interesting approach. I don't know the full story, but I'd like to see them approach these individuals and give them their ears, find out if there is anything they can do to help them - apart from just giving them beer.. Surely they need other services as well, and by gaining trust, they would be in a good position to offer them all kinds of help.
 
its a fantastic idea. we need to take drug addiction away from morality bullshit and into the arena of health issues because no-one would want to be an alcoholic on a park bench, its not fun. its desperate and out of control

same with all serious addictions that are out of control, and ones that are under control have no business being invaded by the law and the nanny state. tobacco for all its evil should be legal as should cocaine and heroin. legality would make it easier to access but also cheaper and therefore less crime to pay for it so by the time you get a cocaine habit of £300 a day (if it was £20 for a pure gram legally from a pharmacy) your probably going to die of an overdose/heart attack and then we wont have to worry about you stealing when your dead. at that price you could do a gram a day and keep your job relatively easily

drug addiction to pure cheap drugs weeds out the excessive people in the most darwinian way possible, and those who dont want to die could go to the doctors for help instead of the courts.

when meph was legal how many people had to burgle to afford it? no-one that i knew of. it was a bad habit but i quit it for good before the ban and that drug is more addictive than coke, morphine, amphetamine etc.
 
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I think this is great.

Good post poface.

Anybody else diggin the graffiti? Lol

Seriously keeps the addicts busy and workin makes its so they can get there drug and most importantly it is a way of accepting them into society where as most places could give to shits about those who are struggling with drug addiction/metal health/homlessnes.

Amsterdam sounds like an amazing revolutionary place.
 
Yeah the graff looks cool, I like a bit of vibrant colour in my concrete tunnels.
 
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'Unchangeable reality'
Back on litter duty, Rene tells me about his past life - expensive cars, extensive travel and some details best not shared. But, he insists, he is happier now, with nothing.

He detects our incredulity: "You don't believe me? Trust me, if I could have my life again I would give it all up for this.

"I know he will never expect anything from me or let me down. Now I am free," he says, referring to the drink habit.

Some might wonder, how free can an addict be?

But the founders of this project treat this addiction as an "unchangeable reality" and tackle it using the only device that is guaranteed to connect with the patients.

"I come for the beer. If there was no beer then why would I come?" says Rene.

Regardless of their motivations, Rene and his friends are making a positive difference in a community where they were once despised.

"It's true," Rene concedes, acknowledging the irony. "They used to treat us like garbage - and now we are picking up their garbage, we are not the garbage anymore."
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I think it's cool.
 
yeah and we get free medical heroin if we steal for long enough too. Apparently saves the government about 40,000 euro's per addict per year.
 
If you steal, they give you free heroin. Are you being a cunt deliberately?
 
I like this approach, time will tell if it works but the dutch government definitely aren't afraid to push the boundaries if it means a better system, unlike the UK and much of the world, who would rather brush things under the carpet, it seems.
 
Surely it would be better to pay them in other goods.. are you really going to hand a beer to a starving homeless man who just walked around picking things up all day?



Very good idea, I think they're almost purposely taking it in an absurd direction though. Amsterdam always kind of gave off that vibe of "Look at us and all the crazy shit we do!"
 
Folley said:
Surely it would be better to pay them in other goods.. are you really going to hand a beer to a starving homeless man who just walked around picking things up all day?



Very good idea, I think they're almost purposely taking it in an absurd direction though. Amsterdam always kind of gave off that vibe of "Look at us and all the crazy shit we do!"
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True, but I think the aim is that the money they earn from begging is spent on food rather than booze? Idk though I could be missing something
 
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