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February 9, 2010
Berlin passes synthetic heroin treatment law
Published: 29 May 09 08:32 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/society/20090529-19581.html
The Bundestag, or the lower house of parliament, passed a law on Thursday allowing the controversial treatment of the country’s worst addicts with synthetic heroin.
- Doctors outraged by infant vaccine shortage - National (8 Feb 10)
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The new law passed with the help of opposition party votes and in the face of bitter opposition from Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative Christian Democrats (CDU), who advocated a pilot project instead despite successful projects having been conducted since 2002.
CDU parliamentarian Jens Spahn accused grand coalition partner the SPD of a “coalition breach.”
The law reclassifies diamorphine as a medicine which can be prescribed to the worst addicts and paid for by statutory health insurers.
"With this no one will simply get their hands on heroin with a prescription," Riemann said, adding that the programme has stringent rules that state a patient must be at least 23-years-old and have been severely addicted for five years or more.
She called the new law the “final chance” for such people.
DDP/The Local (news@thelocal.de)
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