Drug Addicts to be rewarded with iPods
Drug addicts who kick their habit are to be rewarded with iPods, televisions and shopping vouchers on the NHS under controversial guidelines unveiled by the Government’s health service rationing watchdog.
Under the drug addict scheme, an estimated 50,000 could be rewarded for trying to quit, receiving vouchers and prizes for providing drug-free urine samples, with the size of the reward increasing with the amount of time spent drug-free.
Drug workers described the proposals as “ridiculous” and warned that it could lead to addicts trading vouchers and prizes to feed their habit. There are also fears that addicts could easily cheat on the urine tests.
David Raynes, of the National Drug Prevention Alliance, said: “Some of this seems ridiculous. Giving people iPods is nonsense. It seems to be on the lunatic fringe of drug thinking.