Sorry, don't agree.
He does not belong into jail. He belongs into hospital.
He is sick, he is drug addicted, obviously to the extreme. He will not get cured in jail.
I could agree that the state authority does force him to take a cure for drug addiction.
But on the other hand: everybody has the right to live his own live. And this does imply the right to kill himself fastly or slowly.

A completely different discussion, but it's worth to mention here: Art has always been very closlely related to the use and/or abuse of drugs. Always means: at least the last 35'000 years.

If you break the law, zazie, you should be in gaol (Taw, I was most disappointed that you spelt it 'jail' ). If he's drug addled, by all means send him to the hospital for detox, but then put him in gaol anyway. The only time hospital is a substitute for prison is when the defendent pleads insanity and gets committed. Otherwise, why should they get a free lunch? (so to speak)

There is no reason why we should feel sorry for Doherty or any other *alleged* (let's keep it non-libellous ) drug users. Last I recall, they and they alone are responsible for the state they're in. Peer pressure and 'coolness' is not ever an excuse. If imprisonment isn't to their tastes, that says to me they should endeavour to keep within the boundaries of the law. It really isn't that hard.

...rant over, have a nice day.

Well you know what they say; you can't "help" people who do not wish to be helped. The question that should be asked is whether or not incarceration the best way to deal with addicts and, if not, whether or not "detox" would be effective. There are people out there (I've met some) who maintain that the best to deal with the situation is to let such people kill themselves through drug use so that they are "no longer society's problem". It is an interesting view, however I have noticed that addicts do not always end up going to their deaths alone. Lack of narcotics can lead to acts of deperation which, for obvious reasons, can be dangerous.

Zaz - I have sent you two emails over the last two weeks but have received no response. Have you received them?

@ esqui: sorry, I have been away for more than four weeks, no internet, no e-mail - I will check immediately.

EDIT: reply should be in your mailbox now

@ others:
I did not excuse the behaviour of this man. But I insist: jail will not rescue him. You US- and/or Aussie-citizens may think (and maybe you are right - I don't know) that YOUR prisons are drug-free areas. European prisons are not - on the contrary.

@ taw:
perfectly agree, interesting examples. But they are all dead (I am particularly glad that Gahan survived in extremis ). But let's face it: a lot of drug-using musician/artists (still) survive - and as long they are not dead or socially disintegrated like Doherty we do not know/care about their drug consumption as long as the music is good.

'Creative doping' (vulgo: drug abuse) is a fact - not only in r'n'roll, but as well in litterature, painting, dancing - and even sports.

Edited by - zazie on 3/8/2006 5:53:14 AM

Want to do it by myself:

You were gone ?

Erm, the judicial system in this country has given him every chance, he's been ordered to attend rehabilitation, he must undergo drugs screenings to provide evidence that he isn't contravening the previous rulings that he may remain free as long as he cleans his act up, gets the help that has been provided for him, and walks on the straight and narrow.

He, however, has not bothered afaik at this point. He was arrested last week for being in a stolen car with Heroin under his seat. The only reason he wasn't charged was because they couldn't prove it was his heroin.

That gentlemen is currently enjoying more second chances than most inmates at a jail have combined... he is also now to receive aid in drugs to combat his addiction too, so is he or is he not already receiving the treatment and help that he is requiring? Exactly where does his current choice lie though? As the age old annoying saying goes, you can take a horse to water... he's been taken to water, if he refuses to drink, then slap him in irons for breaking the law, and see if that motivates him instead.

Once your hooked on H, the odds of you being able to get that monkey off your back is very very low.

Those who are successful at ridding themselves of the addiction or who somehow seem to be able to use it only sparingly and only for recreational purposes (and I think that they are lying about their addiction) are the exceptions that prove the rule.

This guy's a goner. Jail or rehab, he'll stay on H. If UK prisons are anything like most US prisons, he'll still get his fixes but he'll probably have to prostitute himself out, to get his habit fed.

Nothing new there, then, Indy

Hm, was that below the belt...

@TET *rimshot*

oh please really was there any need for that? yuk that was horrible.

So mature

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So mature

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Depends how long since you washed I suppose...



Oh wait, doh!