Here is the scenario (I understand this is happening in the US but I have not confirmed anything):

A private organization gets together and obtains private donations to fund their program. They advertise that they will pay men and women over the age of 18 $300 to voluntarily have themselves sterilized if they are active drug abusers.

They do not recruit, they advertise. They do not approach anyone, the drug abusers read the advertisements and go to the program on their own. They must prove they are active drug abusers, they will be paid $300 for submitting to the procedure of being sterilized. They will never be able to have children again.

The medical procedure is done by licensed medical providers in a local hospital with all the advantages of modern medicine. The procedure is paid for via private dollars, not tax dollars.

Is this morally objectionable or the correct moral decision?

The fact remains that if he is sterilized and she is not, they aren't going to produce a drug addicted baby.

That's true....but most drug-addicted females turn to prostitution, sooner or later. So having a SO who's sterilized probably won't stop her from getting pregnant.

A LOT of welfare dollars are going to people we know full well are using it for drugs. What people do with their own money is their business. Again, we can't keep protecting people from themselves. It just doesn't work.

Then screen welfare applicants better.

A LOT of welfare dollars are going to people we know full well are using it for drugs. What people do with their own money is their business. Again, we can't keep protecting people from themselves. It just doesn't work.

But we need to protect them from programs like this.

The fact remains that if he is sterilized and she is not, they aren't going to produce a drug addicted baby.

What makes you think that addicts go around as couples?

I meant "Blood Banks".

I assumed you did. Just yanking your chain, TOM.

However, blood is tested after the fact. Commercial blood banks buy blood and hope for the best. It's no coincidence that those places are located in the poorest sections of town.

US blood supplies are NOT 100% safe. I met a woman at Baylor Hospital's organ transplant center in Dallas who was being evaluated for a liver transplant - at the hospital's expense. She contracted Hep C from a transfusion she received at Baylor. This was confirmed - not just speculation - thus the hospital was absorbing the entire cost of the procedure.

But we need to protect them from programs like this.

From permanently impairing their ability to reproduce, I agree. But I still like the idea of paying the women to get themselves fitted with an IUD.

I assumed you did. Just yanking your chain, TOM.

However, blood is tested after the fact. Commercial blood banks buy blood and hope for the best. It's no coincidence that those places are located in the poorest sections of town.

US blood supplies are NOT 100% safe. I met a woman at Baylor Hospital's organ transplant center in Dallas who was being evaluated for a liver transplant - at the hospital's expense. She contracted Hep C from a transfusion she received at Baylor. This was confirmed - not just speculation - thus the hospital was absorbing the entire cost of the procedure.

Only Tina has permission to yank my chain and she will inspect it when she gets back from Brooklyn.

The big hole in the US blood supply is the blood coming in from the drug neighborhoods. A guy told me, “those addicts will do anything for money” and I replied “and those blood banks will do anything for a profit”.

When blood bank vampires know that the guy is a druggie and he is using different names to beat the system, they give the blood seller less than the normal amount of money and pocket the difference. That way, everyone makes out accept the people who need blood.

Capitalism at work.

From permanently impairing their ability to reproduce, I agree. But I still like the idea of paying the women to get themselves fitted with an IUD.

I would agree with that or that Norform under the skin implant.

BTW: I think I made a mistake before and I thought you were defending permanent sterilization rather than IUD's.

I would agree with that or that Norform under the skin implant.

BTW: I think I made a mistake before and I thought you were defending permanent sterilization rather than IUD's.

For that, I should yank your chain AND twist it. NO!!! I absolutely think it would be exploitive to offer drug addicts money in return for being voluntarily sterilized.

Too many posts, too many people posting and too many sub-plots.:faint:

Good Night!!!

I am the mother of a 23 year old drug addicted son. He has just returned from 9 months at a famous rehab facility that cost me my life savings. What would $300.00 dollars do for him, after the effect of what he bought with it wore off ,but more importantly what would the effect be if he could not have children in the future well after the $300.00 was used? He struggles daily as I do with my lap band, and we compare notes. He is determined to be remain clean, and my only wish for my life and his is that he continues to do so. I am a college educated woman with two advanced degrees. His dad is a college educated man, and his sister just completed her masters degree. She would not take a tylenol for severe menstrual pain. The money for sterilization would only be a carrot in front of a rabbit, and the life long effects of the sterilization would be horrific. Sometimes people with life long genetically passed on illnesses make decisions to have children-should we pay them not to? Such decisions are very personal, and drug addicts, people who drink, and those who gamble should first be rehabilitated so they can make clear, concise life long decisions. Each person is as different as their addiction. My addiction was ice cream-should I have been paid for not eating it anymore?

My addiction was ice cream-should I have been paid for not eating it anymore?

You bring up a very good point. Obesity during pregnancy can have all sorts of dangerous effects, including birth defects, fetal death, and delivering large-for-gestational-age infants. Should we get paid to be sterilized?

Hard-core drug addicts don't have much libido anyway, so pregnancy is only a big issue for women who trade sex for drugs (or money with which they can buy drugs).

This is not necessarily true. I know a few people who have used meth they say that it heightens the sex drive and you can't get enough. They also have said that most meth users will seek out another meth user because of the heightened sex drive. Because no one else is able to keep up with them, they will also seek out numerous partners while they are high. I have a gay friend who was homeless in LA, selling meth, and was having sex with hunreds of partners. He was on A&E intervention last season.

Although it does heighten the sex drive after about six months it does make it hard for men to get an erection.

ics-policy-issues/medical-sexual-health/meth-7442.htm

I think this is a sticky situation. However I do beleive the children are the most important factor. As in child abuse why does it have to happen before someone is stopped. And when those people do it repeatedly why isn't there some way to stop them from repeating the abuse.

Also, there are so many drug abusers out there, catching all of them would be impossible. But stopping the drug user before another child is born addicted to drugs, abused or in extreme cases murdered would be my suggestion. Even if it was a temporary thing...however, an IUD or the implant could be easily removed in a drug induced state.

I would opt for paying for the sterilization, and then suggesting help with rehab. If rehab is refused then no further money would be given. If rehab is accepted then why not use the money for furthering their education and becoming productive. I don't think there is any ony answer to this question however, I do think there could be options with it. Maybe not all of them will work for everyone. But, it certainly could be worked into something that could work for some.

Fran~

So, well said!! Those of us who have never had to deal with anyone close to us with a drug addiction do not know what it is like to go through it. We look at different additions differently. Unfortunately drug addicts get hit with a major brunt from society. I commend your fortitude in bringing me into the light. It is a very difficult situation to be in.

Thank you!!

This is not necessarily true. I know a few people who have used meth they say that it heightens the sex drive and you can't get enough. They also have said that most meth users will seek out another meth user because of the heightened sex drive. Because no one else is able to keep up with them, they will also seek out numerous partners while they are high. I have a gay friend who was homeless in LA, selling meth, and was having sex with hunreds of partners. He was on A&E intervention last season.

Although it does heighten the sex drive after about six months it does make it hard for men to get an erection.

ics-policy-issues/medical-sexual-health/meth-7442.htm

There is a big difference between a drug user and a drug addict. If we were to sterilize everyone who has ever used drugs, there would be a HUGE and immediate decrease in our country's birthrate. And as you pointed out yourself, after a few months of serious drug use, men begin to suffer from erectile dysfunction, which pretty much means they aren't going to be impregnating anyone.

As in child abuse why does it have to happen before someone is stopped.

Because our crystal balls are all out of order and we have no way of predicting the future.

Even if it was a temporary thing...however, an IUD or the implant could be easily removed in a drug induced state.

Maybe they could remove an IUD or Norplant themselves, but certainly not "easily". And it would be pretty evident, in the case of the implant.

I would opt for paying for the sterilization, and then suggesting help with rehab. If rehab is refused then no further money would be given. If rehab is accepted then why not use the money for furthering their education and becoming productive. I don't think there is any ony answer to this question however, I do think there could be options with it. Maybe not all of them will work for everyone. But, it certainly could be worked into something that could work for some.

The wouldn't get any money after the sterilization anyway, under the program we've been discussing here. But why not provide rehab without requiring that they give up any future chance at having children? Doesn't that seem the least bit cruel to you? Clean them up and then, oh yeah.....it's great that you kicked that heroin habit, but it sucks that you'll never be able to have kids, doesn't it?