Pubdate: Sun, 07 Aug 2016
Source: New York Times (NY)
Copyright: 2016 The New York Times Company
Contact: http://www.nytimes.com/ref/membercenter/help/lettertoeditor.html
Website: http://www.nytimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/298
Author: George Sigel
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v16/n517/a07.html

TREATING HEROIN ADDICTS

Naloxone saves lives after a heroin overdose, but does it also 
encourage addiction?

To the Editor: How could naloxone ever be considered a "cure for an 
epidemic"? Putting out a fire is not a cure for causes of fires. 
Sorry, there are no quick solutions to the addiction problem. But 
there are some steps we should take. Help addicts get services for 
the addiction and underlying mental health issues. Access to clinics 
is key. Yet clinics are fewer and fewer and access harder and harder. 
And, yes, give Narcan to first responders and addicts' families.

GEORGE SIGEL

Norwood, Mass.

The writer is a psychiatrist.
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